Infrastructure Plan

To reach our full potential, we need the right plan. The Halifax Port Authority is committed to working with the port community, industry, and government stakeholders to ensure the best plan for our city, region, and country.

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The Evolution Of Our Industry

The shipping industry is the foundation on which so much of our economy is built, and it is evolving at a tremendous pace. Big ships are calling on the Port of Halifax and with larger vessels come new opportunity. Halifax is not the only port that recognizes the need to expand—ports along the United States eastern seaboard are making significant investments to build their capacity and welcome the big ships. To continue to be competitive and remain part of major trade routes, we need to welcome more ultra-class vessels. Without the necessary infrastructure in place to berth and service two ultra-class vessels simultaneously, shipping lines will bypass Halifax, resulting in declining cargo volumes and lost jobs.

The Port of Halifax connects Canada to the world and is currently the only Canadian port on the Atlantic coast with the ability to handle the next generation of vessels. With two ultra-class vessel berths, the forecasted increase in containerized cargo volume for Halifax is 45% to 800,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) annually by 2030. Without expansion, the projected loss of containerized cargo volume is 400,000 TEU.

A diverse cargo and cruise port, Halifax provides connections with 150 countries for cargo imports and exports. These international connections are particularly critical to importers and exporters based in Atlantic Canada.

There is an urgent need to expand the Port of Halifax’s existing infrastructure. Without expansion, the loss of containerized cargo and business will have a significant impact on jobs and our regional economy. Over 12,000 jobs in Atlantic Canada are connected to the Port of Halifax and Port operations generate over $1.7 billion in economic benefits each year.

If we do not have the necessary infrastructure in place to keep pace with the global industry by 2020, shipping lines will begin to bypass Halifax in favour of capable ports in the United States. Without expansion, Halifax will not be able to preserve a Canadian supply chain for east coast trade.

Building Our Port For The Future

The Halifax Port Authority has been working to develop an infrastructure plan to build a competitive, successful future that ensures the Port of Halifax is fully prepared to meet cargo demands and maintain our strong position as one of Canada’s global ports.

In 2015, we started the infrastructure planning process by undertaking facility assessments and demand analyses, focusing on the 260 acres of federal land already under the administration of the Halifax Port Authority. In 2016, we sought input from Haligonians and the broader Port community on priorities for development at the Port. We heard clearly that what matters most is maximizing the Port’s regional economic growth potential to create jobs and facilitate trade as well as the need to minimize Port truck traffic through downtown Halifax.

We have worked extensively with our community, city stakeholders, local residents, and our customers. And we have worked with an array of local and international planning experts to weigh the benefits and feasibility of the many options considered.

Through a competitive process, we engaged WSP—one of the world’s preeminent port planners—to work with us and expertly assess Halifax’s options for handling ultra-class vessels. Competitiveness, economic potential, timing, and phasing have all been closely considered to ensure readiness for changing market dynamics. WSP reviewed the impacts and opportunities associated with all options against criteria on how each scenario would boost competitiveness, meet short-term time sensitive needs, accommodate a phased approach, and impact current operations, Port partners, and the larger community we serve.

In considering a broad range of container infrastructure scenarios, we have conducted the most extensive review of all available cargo options for the Port of Halifax in a decade.

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Reducing Truck Traffic on Downtown Streets

The Halifax Port Authority, in partnership with its terminal operators, rail provider, cargo customers, municipal planners, and key stakeholders continues to look for means to reduce the number of port-related trucks transiting the downtown core. We have heard and understand that truck traffic is a concern for those who live, work, and spend time in downtown Halifax.

We have implemented a number of initiatives that are making a difference, including new technologies to reduce congestion. By working with port partners and stakeholders, the Halifax Port Authority has identified additional initiatives that are being explored:

CN Moncton Intermodal Terminal

The CN Intermodal Terminal in Moncton, New Brunswick started moving international cargo in 2017, taking New Brunswick and PEI cargo off the highway to Halifax and putting it onto rail. The results are positive with Atlantic Canadian containerized cargo moving through the terminal which is now operating at capacity.

Port Operations Centre

The Port Operations Centre on the Port of Halifax website, has become a critical digital tool for the sharing of real-time information with customers and the larger community. Trucking companies and cargo owners can find up-to-the minute information on terminal gate metrics, weekly dwell time, arrivals and departures, and special alerts.

The first phase of this initiative has been operating since June 2018 and the data is available for anyone who visits the Port of Halifax Operations Centre on our website. The Terminal Gate Metrics module provides current visibility on fluidity of our truck gates through providing current and historic information on two key metrics:

Gate Wait Time
Truck Service Time

The data is made publicly available in an effort to shorten wait times, reduce congestion, and cut greenhouse gas emissions. The latter data is imperative as the trucking industry implements electronic logging device regulations in 2020.

Rail Solutions

In partnership with CN Rail, HRM and the Government of Canada, the Port of Halifax is developing a rail solution to better integrate the movement of containers between the two container terminals by rail. The project will:

Limit the impacts of port activity and infrastructure on downtown Halifax residents by reducing port-related truck traffic by up to 75%
Help port supply chain members handle more cargo, faster, and in a cost-effective manner
Meet Canadian market demand and provide a predictable supply chain for Asia and Europe
Enhance the integration of the Port’s landside operations (four berths), avoiding costly vessel delays and berth congestion
Increase terminal efficiencies and container storage capacities

Other

The Port of Halifax is looking at other potential options to further reduce truck traffic, they include:

Additional intermodal terminals (rail ramps) in other areas of Halifax and the province
Off Dock Intermodal Yard (ODIY) for long term planning