Port of Halifax Winter 2015

WINT E R 20 1 5

port OF HALIFAX MAGAZINE

Where the world calls Meeting the largest cargo ships with strong intermodal links, Halifax has lots of opportunity to grow

Sea change Retiring from the Atlantic Pilotage Authority, Anthony McGuinness leaves a legacy of professionalism, adaptability, and innovation

Table of Contents

port

Portside Notes

OF HALIFAX MAGAZINE

The latest on cargo and ship movements, key stakeholders, and new development Another successful Port Days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Cruise wrap-up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Ready for action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Change in command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Feature

Port of Halifax Magazine is distributed free of charge to maritime, industrial and transportation interests around the world. Permission to reproduce any original material in whole or in part, with the exception of photography and advertising, is available by contacting Metro Guide Publishing. Please also address questions concerning editorial content, advertising, and circulation to Metro Guide Publishing.

Port of Halifax Magazine is produced in collaboration with the Halifax Shipping Association.

Sea of change DURING HIS CAREER AS CEO, ANTHONY MCGUINNESS HELPED SHAPE

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For more information on the Port of Halifax and its stakeholders, please contact:

Sailing Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Halifax Port Authority, Business Development & Operations P.O. Box 336 Ocean Terminals, 1215 Marginal Road Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2P6 Canada Tel: 902-426-2620 • Fax: 902-426-7335 Email: info@portofhalifax.ca Website: www.portofhalifax.ca or Halifax Shipping Association P.O. Box 1146, Station M Halifax, NS B3J 2X1 Email: info@hfxshippingassn.com Website: halifaxshippingassociation.com

THE ATLANTIC PILOTAGE AUTHORITY WITH INNOVATION AND VISION

Around the Port Bigger is better THE PORT OF HALIFAX AND ATLANTIC PILOTAGE AUTHORITY RAMP UP TO HANDLE THE WORLD’S LARGEST CRUISE SHIPS

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In Focus

Printed in Canada Copyright © Winter 2015 Port of Halifax Magazine

On the right track MOVING CARGO OF ALL KINDS, CN REMAINS AN IMPORTANT PLAYER OFFERING MORE EFFICIENT TRANSIT TIMES TO NEW MARKETS IN THE PORT OF HALIFAX

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Produced by Metro Guide Publishing Publisher Senior Editor Contributing Editors Production Manager Production Coordinator Graphic Design Project Manager Printing

Patty Baxter Trevor J. Adams Suzanne Rent, Janice Hudson Jeffrey Webb Paula Bugden Beth Muzzerall Barb McConnell Advocate Printing & Publishing

ON OUR COVER: With deep berths and strong intermodal links, the Port of Halifax welcomes the world’s largest cargo ships.

Photo: HPA

INSET: Captain Anthony McGuinness retires after a long career with the Atlantic Pilotage Authority.

Photo: Submitted

2882 Gottingen Street Halifax, Nova Scotia B3K 3E2 Tel: 902-420-9943 Fax: 902-429-9058 E-mail: publishers@metroguide.ca

www.metroguidepublishing.ca

Mailed under Canada Post Publications Mail Sales Agreement No.40601061 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Metro Guide Publishing at the address above.

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PORTSIDE NOTES

Another successful Port Days Port Authority’s annual Port Days event.

Running from September 16 to 17, the event featured a keynote address from CN executive vice-president Jean-Jacques Ruest on tapping hinterland markets, a trade show, business panels with industry experts, a tour of Port facilities, an afternoon of golf, and the popular Lobster Feast dinner. Q 4

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Port of Halifax

PHOTO: STEVE FARMER

This fall saw the return of the Halifax

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BY TREVOR J. ADAMS

Cruise wrap-up

PHOTO: HPA

The Port of Halifax’s 2015 cruise

season wrapped up in November after a busy autumn. “This was a good, steady season for cruise in Halifax,” says Cathy McGrail, director of cruise development and corporate affairs with the Halifax Port Authority. “The Halifax Port Authority would like to recognize the outstanding cooperation between all the various partner agencies including cruise vendors, tour operators and those in the tourism and hospitality industry who came together to provide cruise guests with an exceptional experience during their time in Nova Scotia.”

October 16 was the busiest day of the season, with four vessels bringing in 10,000+ passengers and crew. In total, the Port had 141 calls from May to November, bringing approximately 222,309 passengers and crew.

“The cruise sector is strong in Atlantic Canada,” says Nora Fever, chair of the Atlantic Canada Cruise Association. “Our ports remain very attractive to passengers and cruise lines alike. The region is known for delivering world-class experiences and we’re thrilled to be able to introduce so many people to what Atlantic Canada has to offer.”

ACCA estimates that direct spending by passengers and crew will be approximately $40 million in 2015. When cruise line spending is included, total direct economic impact generated in the region should total about $79.8 million.

“The cruise market is an important contributor to Nova Scotia’s tourism industry and to our economy,” says provincial tourism minister Michel Samson. “Innovations like the new shorepower system position Halifax as a key port of call. ” A recent economic-impact report released by the Halifax Port Authority found that cruise in Halifax is now worth an estimated $104.3 million in economic benefit for the local economy. This includes passenger spending on tourism-related activities as well as provisioning associated with cruise vessels. Halifax is a full-service port that is able to offer a full range of goods and services across the entire marine industry. Q

Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market celebrates 265 years The Halifax Farmers’ Market, now

known as the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market, recently celebrated 265 years of operation, making it the oldest continuously operating farmers’ market in North America.

The Halifax Farmers’ Market was established by royal decree in 1750, just one year after the establishment of Halifax itself. It’s had many homes around the city since then, most recently settling in the

Halifax Port Authority’s Seaport space. To mark this significant milestone, the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market held anniversary celebrations during the annual Harvest Festival, which took place October 17 and 18.

“Much has changed over the years but the core elements have remained consistent: dedicated vendors, fresh produce, one-of-a-kind handcrafted goods, and wonderful customers,” says Julie Chaisson, executive director of the Halifax

Seaport Farmers’ Market. “We are proud to be celebrating our 265th anniversary with our vendors and our customers.”

As part of the anniversary celebrations, the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market accepted cash donations on behalf of the Dartmouth North Community Food Centre, an organization in its first year of operation. For each donation, customers received a small gift of fresh produce from Seaport Market vendors. Q WINTER 2015 ||

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PORTSIDE NOTES

Ready for action Editor’s Note: HMCS Montréal, a Royal Canadian Navy patrol frigate, recently returned to its homeport of Halifax after taking part in a multinational missiledefence exercise off the coast of Scotland. In this submitted article, Sub-Lt. Sean Wilson (HMCS Montréal unit public affairs representative) details the experience.

It was certainly no ordinary day for

Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Montréal, one of several warships steaming on the dark waters off the west coast of Scotland in precise formation. Connected by the latest communication technologies, coalition ships shared a common picture of over 14.7 million square kilometres of the North Atlantic, an area approximately one and a half times the size of Canada.

HMCS Montréal’s sailors were primed for action when drones, simulating cruise missile threats, launched from ashore.

Coalition radars immediately detected

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Port of Halifax

the “missiles” and the information was shared instantly throughout the fleet. The modernized Canadian frigate’s improved combat management system gathered and processed the information, allowing the operators to make precise assessments on the threat.

The “missiles” were headed straight for Montréal. The operations team briefed the Captain, who gave the order to “take” the targets. Moments later, the distinct whoosh of the frigate’s Evolved Sea Sparrow (ESSM) missiles reverberated throughout the ship as they blasted off towards the incoming threat.

HMCS Montréal was participating in “At Sea Demonstration 2015” (ASD 2015), a multinational exercise that took place off the Hebrides Islands of Scotland in October 2015. The exercise was conducted under the Maritime Theater Missile Defence Forum (MTMD), an international group that aims to improve maritime integrated air and missile defence capabilities within a coalition context. Participants included navies from Canada, France, Italy, Norway, Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. The exercise is the product of several years of planning and coordination between MTMD navies.

Hosted by the Royal Navy, ASD 2015 is a sea-based missile defence exercise,

intended to assess and evaluate network interoperability between coalition partners.

The exercise marks the first time-integrated air and missile defence was used in a scenario involving simultaneous attack from a variety of missiles originating from multiple locations.

Participants maintained situational awareness over the area of operation and relayed information over a total of 14.7 million square kilometres using a variety of platforms from different countries to identify, track and engage the targets.

“It was very exciting to see the months of hard work and preparation come together for my team,” remarked Montréal’s commanding officer Commander Kristjan Monaghan. “I’m particularly proud of my crew; we couldn’t have achieved the success we did without the work of every person aboard. It was a tremendous opportunity for me to see the team come together to experience the split-second decision-making it takes for the team to react upon the detection of an inbound missile threat and then go through the process of launching our own missiles to intercept and neutralize it. Our success demonstrated Montréal’s ability, capability and readiness to counter such attacks in the maritime environment while integrated in a coalition naval force at sea.” Q

Change in command After the Liberal victory in Canada’s

PHOTO: SUBMITTED

October 5-13, 1984. In 1989, he became deputy director of the Canadian Astronaut Program, and provided technical and program support in the preparation of experiments for future Canadian missions.

In February 2001, he was appointed executive vice-president of the Canadian Space Agency, advancing to president in 2001 before leaving in 2005 to pursue a career in politics.

In October 2008 Marc Garneau was elected as the Member of Parliament for Westmount–Ville-Marie and, in his first mandate, served as the critic for industry, science and technology as well as the leader’s representative for Quebec. He was re-elected in Westmount-Ville-Marie in May 2011 and served as House Leader in the House of Commons. He also served as the critic for foreign affairs and La Francophonie. In October 2015, he was re-elected, in Notre-Dame-deGrâce–Westmount. Q

October federal election, the country has a new transportation minister—one with some unique credentials.

Quebec MP Marc Garneau has served his country his entire professional career, beginning with the Canadian Navy, then as an astronaut and President of the Canadian Space Agency.

Garneau began his service to Canada as a navy combat systems engineer in HMCS Algonquin from 1974 to 1976. He was promoted to commander in 1982 while at Staff College and was transferred to Ottawa in 1983. In January 1986, he was promoted to naval captain and retired from the navy in 1989.

He was one of six Canadian astronauts selected out of over 4,000 candidates in December 1983. He was seconded to the Canadian Astronaut Program from the department of national defence in February 1984 to begin astronaut training.

In 1984, he became the first Canadian astronaut to fly in space serving as a payload specialist on Shuttle Mission 41-G,

Director of Operations Located in Halifax, the Atlantic Pilotage Authority (APA) is a Federal Crown Corporation responsible for providing safe and efficient marine pilotage service. Aplin Executive is proud to have partnered with APA to recruit a professional with exceptional strategic leadership skills and strong technical marine background for the Director of Operations role.

To learn more, please contact:

Mary Cyriac Researcher 905.247.5116 mcyriac@aplin.com

PHOTO: SUBMITTED

Koreen Clements Managing Consultant 902.334.6003 kclements@aplin.com

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PHOTO: BRUCE MURRAY

FEATURE

Sea of change DURING HIS CAREER AS CEO, ANTHONY MCGUINNESS STEERED THE ATLANTIC PILOTAGE AUTHORITY WITH INNOVATION AND VISION

By Suzanne Rent During his 20 years as the CEO of the

Atlantic Pilotage Authority (APA), Anthony McGuinness never had a chance to read the newspaper that was delivered to his office daily.

“I think that showed there was so much going on,” he says.

McGuinness, now 65, retired from his role as CEO earlier this year. During his time there, the self-described type-A personality, McGuinness took the helm and helped shape the APA to what it is today.

“I like change and if I can see change is necessary then I go full out to achieve that,” he says. “You can’t do that singlehandedly without a vision and getting people on side.”

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Port of Halifax

McGuinness joined the APA in 1996. The organization was then a Crown corporation and he joined as chair and CEO. Eventually, a new chair would join the board, and McGuinness stayed on as the appointed CEO. But McGuinness started his career at sea.

As a young officer cadet in Britain, he logged the required 36 months at sea within 37 months. He came to Canada when he was 23.

He spent time working for a number of Canadian shipping companies and in the offshore world of the Grand Banks in what he says was a “really interesting life.”

Like any captain, McGuinness has his tales from the sea. In 1985, he was captain of the Kreuzturm, a German supply

ship that was part of the salvage effort of the Air India disaster. Air India Flight 182 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean southwest of Ireland. McGuinness says his ship joined the Canadian Coast Guard ship John Cabot in the salvage effort, bringing up approximately 15 major pieces of the aircraft from the ocean floor 2,100 metres below. He recalls being told the Irish Sea is never calm for more than four days. McGuinness and his crew needed 21 days for the work. Fate, he says, intervened.

“It was the hand of God, I kid you not,” McGuinness says. “The sea was like a mirror.

The Irish Sea has never been like that.”

Prior to coming to the APA, he spent 10

Technology changed the way pilots trained, too. Traditionally, pilots learned from other pilots in hands-on training.

Now, simulators are used in much of the training as well. McGuinness says these simulators help pilots navigate scenarios that may actually happen in their port.

PHOTO: SUBMITTED

to work in the Bahamas where a heart attack killed him just after he finished a pilotage assignment aboard a tanker.

Technology was often behind most of the changes McGuinness and his management team made while at the APA. That included the way in which pilots were dispatched to pilotage assignments.

When McGuinness joined as CEO, each port in Atlantic Canada was responsible for dispatching its own pilots to bring in ships.

McGuinness called for a central dispatch based in Halifax. The system, he says, is good for customers and good for pilots.

Paperwork and excessive phone calls to inquire about assignments were all eliminated.

Pilots, customers and agents have access to the site where they can see what ships are coming in and what pilots are guiding them to port.

“Within a year, it was up and running and it was the best thing,” McGuinness.

“Suddenly life for all marine stakeholders became so much easier.”

Today, pilots can fully use their mobile devices.

When a pilot signs off on an assignment, a bill is immediately sent to the agent, who signs off with the customer. “It’s all done within half an hour,” McGuinness says.

Captain Anthony McGuinness

PHOTO: BRUCE MURRAY

years at Halterm. “At that time, Halterm was at its peak, and changes in ship design and shore equipment were rapidly advancing,” McGuinness says.” Productivity and security were key, and significant changes were made during those years. New cranes, gantries, computers, security access systems, ILA training were all key to keeping the customers calling at Halterm.

But McGuinness never worked as a pilot himself, saying he was told he didn’t have enough time at sea within the APA jurisdiction.

That was just one of the changes he made at the APA. He says many master mariners were often turned down for jobs as pilots because they didn’t have enough sea time in the region.

Years later, McGuinness was instrumental in changing regulations, thereby creating a pilotage familiarization program in which potential pilots shadowed regular pilots, accompanying them on assignments to gain a better knowledge of pilotage. “I was very pleased to see that changed,” he says.

McGuinness’ father worked as a pilot. He came to Canada from Britain to share his expertise of handling tankers at the new monobuoy with the pilots in Saint John. But while his father wanted to work as a pilot, he never got the chance in Canada. He went on

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PHOTO: BRUCE MURRAY

FEATURE

EVEN THE MOST COMPLICATED PROJECTS BEGIN WITH SOMETHING SIMPLE IMPLE Every EastPoint Engineering project begins with a good client relationship. And by deliveringg ce – for our clients – with precision, and excellence we make sure every project ends with a great relationship, too.

For EastPoint engineers, it’s a handshake.

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Port of Halifax

“It’s marvelous you can do all that without any cost, disruption or damage,” McGuinness says.

Like driverless cars or unmanned ships, McGuinness says changes in technology could reshape how pilots do their jobs.

Remote pilotage in which pilots stay onshore and help guide captains ashore, is a possibility in certain parts of the world. But he adds, here on the East Coast of Canada, there will always be a need for someone to guide ships into port.

“We live in a big world, and unless you reduce the number of ports, you still got many, many ports around the world where it’s difficult for a captain to arrive and safely navigate into the port,” McGuinness says. “Captains are tired and their jobs are demanding. They may have just crossed the ocean and are possibly unfamiliar with the coastline. They are grateful for that pilot who is trained to take conduct of that vessel.”

Understanding the needs of customers, stakeholders and each port was a priority for McGuinness, too. He met with many of them during his tenure.

“Each port is unique. Halifax is obviously the largest port in the Atlantic region, but there are many other ports in the region and each one of them come with their own challenges,” McGuinness says. “So it was really interesting to understand them,

Big Ships Have Arrived

With regular calls from 20 of the world's leading shipping lines, The Port of Halifax connects to 150 countries worldwide.

The Port of Halifax is now receiving some of the largest container vessels to call on the East Coast of North America.

O

N AUGUST 3

2015, the CMA CGM Vivaldi, a 334-metre, 8,478 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) vessel called on the South End Container Terminal operated

by Halterm Container Terminal Ltd. The new weekly service is in partnership with the Ocean Three Alliance which also includes China Shipping, United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) and Hamburg Süd. Halifax is now the first port of call on the O3 Asia – North America service (Columbus-AAE1-

AUC1) via the Suez Canal, linking Halifax to ports in South China (Hong Kong and Yantian), Vietnam (Vung Tau) and Malaysia (Port Kelang).

At the same time, an upgraded G6 service at the Port of Halifax is now underway. The Budapest Express, a 8,749 TEU, 335-metre Hapag-Lloyd vessel which is part of the G6 Alliance, arrived August 7, 2015 at the Fairview Cove Container Terminal, operated by CeresHalifax. The larger vessel call is part of a service expansion for the G6 Alliance and Zim Integrated Shipping

Services. An outbound call out of Halifax has been added to the existing AZX service. The G6 Alliance carriers are APL, Hapag-Lloyd, Hyundai Merchant Marine, MOL, NYK and OOCL. “The terminal operators and other key port partners including the shipping lines, ILA and CN have been working hard to make this a reality,” said Karen Oldfield, President and CEO, Halifax Port Authority. “The arrival of larger vessels at the Port of Halifax is very positive.

In addition to the terminal operators and carriers, this

is good news for logistics providers, port users and for the larger community due to the increased potential for economic growth.”

“We are pleased to welcome these larger vessels to the Port of Halifax” said Captain Sean Griffiths, CEO of the Atlantic Pilotage Authority.

“Our pilots play a vital role in the safe and efficient navigation of ships through these waters and they stand ready to assist and support these vessels.”

Since 2004, over $250 million has been invested in port infrastructure to ensure

Halifax is ready to handle larger vessels. With over 16 metres draft at each containerized cargo terminal as well as extended piers and post-Panamax cranes, Halifax can triple capacity with no significant changes to existing infrastructure.

The port community in Halifax continues to work collaboratively to create the necessary conditions for business owners in Nova Scotia to expand their potential market and create economic growth.

For more information, visit halifaxgetsitthere.com

BREAKBULK

CRUISE &REAL ESTATE

Diversification in Action Right now, there is an estimated $129 billion in planned or developing mega projects taking place throughout the region.

Project Cargo Remains Busy Richmond Terminals is designed to handle a wide range of cargoes.

O

UT-OF-THE-BOX thinking is proving to be beneficial at the Port of Halifax. The new pier 9C at Richmond Terminals, specifically designed to handle a wide range of project and heavy lift cargoes and provide support to the offshore oil industry, has seen a steady flow of work since the first vessel call in October of 2014. This includes traditional berthage, vessel repair calls, special projects and several significant heavy-lift cargo moves. In addition, a portion of the open area at Pier 9C is now under long-term lease to a company involved in offshore exploration, and the new multi-purpose warehouse continues to provide flexibility for our customers.

“Interestingly, one of the significant opportunities we have identified is technical ship maintenance and repair,” said Patrick Bohan, Director, Supply Chain Solutions, Halifax Port Authority.

“The new pier 9C at Rich-

mond Terminals is perfect for this and has been utilized for this purpose over the winter months.”

The Richmond Terminals redevelopment was a $64-million project cost shared between the Halifax Port Authority and the Government of Canada that has resulted in approximately 500 metres of new dock with 13.7 metre draft; 7000 square metres of shed space with truck and rail access, and eleven acre laydown area.

With significant major project activity taking place in Atlantic Canada, Bohan is optimistic about the future of project cargo through the Port of Halifax. “Right now, there is an estimated $129 billion in planned or developing mega projects taking place throughout the region, which means there is tremendous potential in the type of cargo ideally suited for the Port of Halifax.”

“Richmond has given us additional capacity at an

902.426.8222 info@portofhalifax.ca

portofhalifax.ca

important time,” Bohan said. “It has proven to be a solid complimentary facility to Ocean Terminals when capacity there was tested this past year and has been invaluable in accepting heavy lift cargo, including steel and cranes for the Irving Shipyard which is in the process of building Canada’s new combat vessels.”

In addition to project cargo and breakbulk opportunities through Richmond and Ocean Terminals, the Halifax Grain Elevator presents tremendous potential for growth in the agri-food market. The elevator, operated

by Halifax Grain Elevator Ltd., can hold up to 140,000 metric tonnes of product in its 365 separate bins. This flexibility provides the Halifax Grain Elevator with the ability to handle a variety of export products including soybeans and wheat and also nonagricultural bulk products such as wood pellets.

T

he busiest day of the 2015 cruise season in Halifax was Friday, October 16. Four vessels carrying approximately 10,000 passengers plus crew arrived in Halifax, resulting in a busy day for tourism providers.

While visiting the Port of Halifax, passengers spend money on tours and excursions, meals in downtown restaurants and on gifts and souvenirs. On top of that, many of the cruise vessels calling Halifax take advantage of the full range of marine services available in the Port of Halifax.

The development of cruise in Halifax is part of the overall diversification strategy the Halifax Port Authority has been pursuing for several years. Development of real estate holdings is another example. The Halifax Seaport, an area that was once a collection of underutilized shipping sheds, is now one of the premier arts and cultural destinations in Halifax.

The cruise industry in Halifax provides an estimated $104 million in economic benefit each year.

This area includes the Cunard Centre which is a popular multi-purpose event venue, the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design Port Campus, the award-winning Garrison craft brewery, the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market, and a collection of other shops, galleries and cafes. As a district, the Halifax Seaport welcomed over 1.2 million visitors in 2013.

The diversification strategy has been a key factor in the Port Authority’s ability to generate strong and consistent cash flow while developing port infrastructure in a highly competitive marine environment. “The diverse revenue streams at Port of Halifax helps to provide long term stability,” said Paul MacIsaac, Senior Vice President, Halifax Port Authority. “We remain committed to working with our stakeholders and partners to create economic growth for the region while maintaining our robust financial position.”

promote them and ensure they were not put at any pilotage disadvantage.”

Sean Griffiths, who took over as CEO at the APA this year, first met McGuinness when he went to him looking for advice on his marine career. Griffiths was in his mid-20s the time with several years of experience at sea. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to be a pilot or go into management.

Griffiths remembers McGuinness’ advice well: Get your sea time, get your command time, get as much experience as you can and keep plugging away at your certificates.

Keep positive and keep working hard.

“He gave me some good sound advice and how to execute my career,” Griffiths says. “Even thought I didn’t become a pilot, it’s funny how I ended up here anyway.

Griffiths met with McGuinness again when interviews were being conducted for the chief operating officer position. That’s the role Griffiths first held at the APA. The recruiter looking for candidates reached out to McGuinness saying out of all the candidates, Griffiths seemed to fit the bill and the two should meet.

Before Christmas 2013, they met at an independent boardroom for a one-on-one chat. “No agenda, no interview questions,

just a one-hour chat,” Griffiths says. “We connected on many levels. We have a lot in common, our career paths are similar.”

Griffiths even captained the Kreuzturm, the ship McGuinness captained during the Air India salvage effort in 1985. Griffiths was at the helm of Kreuzturm, then named the Sable Sea, 25 years later.

Griffiths learned much more during that meeting. The two talked about the marine industry, their shared opinions on customer service and stakeholder relations.

Griffiths says he learned about McGuinness’ own history at the APA and the depth of work involved. He got a good sense of McGuinness’ leadership and management style. Today, he considers him a gentleman in his communication style and work with the APA team.

Griffiths thinks that meeting sealed the deal on his future at the APA. “He and I hit it off very well and I think it was right after that I got the job offer,” he says. “If I didn’t want the job before I met him, I sure as hell wanted it after I met him.”

Griffiths says McGuinness was instrumental behind several initiatives, including centralized dispatch, and the fleet renewal program, which saw the addition of five new boats. Griffiths

says he’d also like to continue McGuinness’ commitment to customer service and stakeholder relations, saying McGuinness did a “marvelous job” in that area.

“We are here to provide a service, it’s regulatory, but it’s a service nonetheless, we might as well do a damn good job at it,” Griffiths says.

McGuinness says Griffiths has a perfect mix of education and marine qualifications for the job as CEO. “He’s a young bright man and I think he will do very well,” he says.

During his retirement, McGuinness plans on spending time with his family, including his three daughters and eight grandchildren.

While he will sail his boat while in Nova Scotia, he will spend his winters in warmer climes, including his daughter’s house in Spain.

“I won’t miss the white stuff,” he laughs.

But he admits he will miss the camaraderie at the APA and the challenges the job presented each day.

“I thought I would get bored, but over those 20 years that never happened,” he says. “I didn’t think I could last that long without needing another challenge.” Q

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SAILING SCHEDULE Line

Service

Ports Served (alphabetically)

Cargo Type

Frequency

Day

Terminal

Agent

Antwerp (BE) - Gothenburg (SW) - Hamburg (GE) - Liverpool (UK) Antwerp (BE) - Bremerhaven (GE) - Rotterdam (NE) - Southampton Antwerp (BE) - Bremerhaven (GE) - Rotterdam (NE) - Southampton Antwerp (BE) - Bremerhaven (GE) - Rotterdam (NE) Reykjavik (IC) - Rotterdam (NE) - Immingham (UK) Antwerp (BE) - Gothenburg (SW) - Hamburg (GE) - Liverpool (UK) Antwerp (BE) - Gothenburg (SW) - Hamburg (GE) - Liverpool (UK) Antwerp (BE) - Bremerhaven (GE) - Rotterdam (NE) - Southampton Antwerp (BE) - Bremerhaven (GE) - Rotterdam (NE) - Southampton Antwerp (BE) - Bremerhaven (GE) - Rotterdam (NE)

Melfi Marine MOL Nirint Shipping

ACL A Service ACL B Service APL PA1 (Transatlantic) Service CMA CGM SL1 Service Eimskip Green Line Service Hamburg Sud HL A Service (ATA) HL PA1 (Transatlantic) Service Hyundai PA1 (Transatlantic) Service Maersk Canada Atlantic Express Service (CAX) Melfi Med-Canada Service MOL PA1 (Transatlantic) Service Nirint ECCE Service

cc-gc-tc-rr cc-gc-tc-rr cc-tc cc-tc cc-tc cc cc-gc-tc cc-tc cc-tc

Weekly Weekly Weekly Weekly 18 days Weekly Weekly Weekly Weekly

Mon-Ex / Sat-Im Monday Sunday Saturday Mon-Ex / Sat-Im Mon-Ex / Sat-Im Sunday Sunday

Ceres Ceres Ceres Halterm Halterm Ceres Ceres Ceres Ceres

ACL ACL APL CMA CGM Eimskip ACL Hapag Lloyd Hapag Lloyd HMM

Lisbon (PT) Antwerp (BE) - Bremerhaven (GE) - Rotterdam (NE) - Southampton (UK) Bilbao (SP) - Rotterdam (NE)

cc, tc

Weekly

Saturday

Halterm

Maersk

cc-gc-tc cc-tc cc-tc

10 days Weekly 15 days

Sunday

Halterm Ceres Ceres

Protos MOL Nirint

Nirint Shipping NYK Line OOCL Wallenius Willhelmsen

Nirint Med-Canada Service NYK PAX (Transatlantic) Service OOCL PA1 (Transatlantic) Service WW ACL A Service

Lisbon (PT) Antwerp (BE) - Bremerhaven (GE) - Rotterdam (NE) - Southampton (UK) Antwerp (BE) - Bremerhaven (GE) - Rotterdam (NE) - Southampton (UK) Antwerp (BE) - Gothenburg (SW) - Hamburg (GE) - Liverpool (UK)

cc-gc-tc cc-tc cc-tc gc-rr

10 days Weekly Weekly Weekly

Halterm Ceres Ceres Ceres

Nirint NYK OOCL Wallenius

Cagliari (IT) - Damietta (EG) Livorno/Leghorn (IT) Cagliari (IT) - Damietta (EG) Cagliari (IT) - Damietta (EG) Barcelona (SP) - Genoa (IT) - Livorno/Leghorn (IT) - Valencia (SP) Salerno (IT) Cagliari (IT) - Damietta (EG)

cc-tc cc-gc-rr cc-tc cc-tc

Weekly Monthly Weekly Weekly

Tuesday/Sunday Tuesday/Sunday

Ceres Ocean Ceres Ceres

APL Protos Hapag Lloyd HMM

cc-gc-tc

10 days

cc-tc

Weekly

Halterm

Protos

Tuesday/Sunday

Ceres

MOL

Halterm

Nirint

Tuesday/Sunday Tuesday/Sunday

Ceres Ceres

NYK OOCL

NORTH EUROPE Atlantic Container Line Atlantic Container Line APL CMA CGM Eimskip Hamburg Sud Hapag Lloyd Hapag Lloyd Hyundai Maersk

(UK) (UK)

(UK) (UK)

Sunday Sunday Mon-Ex / Sat-Im

SOUTH EUROPE (MEDITERRANEAN) APL Bahri Hapag Lloyd Hyundai

APL AZX Service Bahri (NSCSA) North America Service HL AZX Service Hyundai AZX Service

Tuesday/Sunday

Melfi Marine

Melfi Med-Canada Service

MOL

MOL AZX Service

Nirint Shipping

Nirint Med-Canada Service

Barcelona (SP) - Genoa (IT) - Livorno/Leghorn (IT) - Valencia (SP) Salerno (IT)

cc-gc-tc

10 days

NYK Line OOCL

NYK AZX Service OOCL AZX Service

Cagliari (IT) - Damietta (EG) Cagliari (IT) - Damietta (EG)

cc-tc cc-tc

Weekly Weekly

Zim Integrated Shipping Line

Zim Container Service Atlantic (ZCA)

Barcelona (SP) - Genoa (IT) - Haifa (IL) - Livorno/Leghorn (IT) Tarragona (SP) - Valencia (SP) - Piraeus (GR) - Ashdod (IL)

cc-tc

Weekly

Thursday

Halterm

Zim

Zim Integrated Shipping Line

Zim SAS Service

Cagliari (IT) - Damietta (EG)

cc-tc

Weekly

Tuesday/Sunday

Ceres

Zim

LATIN AMERICA (CARIBBEAN, CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA) APL

APL AZX Service

Cagliari (IT) - Damietta (EG)

cc-tc

Weekly

Tuesday/Sunday

Ceres

APL

Hapag Lloyd

HL PAX (Transpacific) Service

Manzanillo (PA)

cc-tc

Weekly

Sunday

Ceres

Hapag Lloyd

Hyundai Melfi Marine MOL

Hyundai PA1 (Transpacific) Service Melfi Med-Canada Service MOL PA1 (Transpacific) Service

Manzanillo (PA) Altamira (MX) - Veracruz (MX) - Progreso (MX) - Mariel (CU) Manzanillo (PA)

cc-tc cc-gc-tc cc-tc

Weekly 10 days Weekly

Sunday Sunday

Ceres Halterm Ceres

HMM Protos MOL

Nirint Shipping Nirint Shipping NYK Line OOCL Zim Integrated Shipping Line

Nirint ECCE Service Nirint Med-Canada Service NYK PA1 (Transpacific) Service OOCL PA1 (Transpacific) Service Zim Container Service Pacific (ZCP)

Havana (CU) - Moa (CU) - Willemstad (AN) Altamira (MX) - Veracruz (MX) - Progreso (MX) - Mariel (CU) Manzanillo (PA) Manzanillo (PA) - Balboa (PA Kingston (JA) - Balboa (PA)

cc-tc cc-gc-tc cc-tc cc-tc cc-tc

15 days 10 days Weekly Weekly Weekly

Sunday Sunday Wednesday

Ocean Halterm Ceres Ceres Halterm

Nirint Nirint NYK OOCL Zim

APL AZX Service

Via the Suez Canal: Colombo (SL) - Jebel Ali (UA) - Laem Chabang (TH) - Singapore (SG)

cc-tc

Weekly

Tuesday/Sunday

Ceres

APL

cc-gc-rr

Monthly

SOUTH / SOUTHEAST ASIA & MIDDLE EAST APL

Bahri (NSCSA) North America Service

Via the Suez Canal: Damman (SA) - Jeddah (SA) - Mumbai (IN) Port Said (EG) - Dubai (UA)

China Shipping Container Line

China Shipping AAE1 Service

Via the Suez Canal: Hong Kong (CH) - Yantian (CH) - Vung Tao (VN) Port Kelang (MY)

cc-tc

Weekly

CMA CGM

CMA-CGM Columbus Service

Via the Suez Canal: Hong Kong (CH) - Yantian (CH) - Vung Tao (VN) Port Kelang (MY)

cc-tc

Weekly

Hapag Lloyd

HL AZX Service

Via the Suez Canal: Colombo (SL) - Jebel Ali (UA) - Laem Chabang (TH) - Singapore (SG)

cc-tc

Weekly

Hyundai

Hyundai AZX Service

Via the Suez Canal: Colombo (SL) - Jebel Ali (UA) - Laem Chabang (TH) - Singapore (SG)

cc-tc

MOL

MOL AZX Service

Via the Suez Canal: Colombo (SL) - Jebel Ali (UA) - Laem Chabang (TH) - Singapore (SG)

NYK Line

NYK AZX Service

OOCL

Bahri

United Arab Shipping Company Zim Integrated Shipping Line

12

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Ocean

Protos

Sunday

Halterm

China Shipping

Sunday

Halterm

CMA CGM

Tuesday/Sunday

Ceres

Hapag Lloyd

Weekly

Tuesday/Sunday

Ceres

HMM

cc-tc

Weekly

Tuesday/Sunday

Ceres

MOL

Via the Suez Canal: Colombo (SL) - Jebel Ali (UA) - Laem Chabang (TH) - Singapore (SG)

cc-tc

Weekly

Tuesday/Sunday

Ceres

NYK

OOCL AZX Service

Via the Suez Canal: Colombo (SL) - Jebel Ali (UA) - Laem Chabang (TH) - Singapore (SG)

cc-tc

Weekly

Tuesday/Sunday

Ceres

OOCL

UASC AUC1 Service

Via the Suez Canal: Hong Kong (CH) - Yantian (CH) - Vung Tao (VN) - Port Kelang (MY)

cc-tc

Weekly

Sunday

Halterm

Montship

Zim SAS Service

Via the Suez Canal: Colombo (SL) - Jebel Ali (UA) - Laem Chabang (TH) - Singapore (SG)

cc-tc

Weekly

Tuesday/Sunday

Ceres

Zim

Port of Halifax

WINTER 2015 Line

Service

Ports Served (alphabetically)

Cargo Type

Frequency

Day

Terminal

Agent

APL

APL PA1 (Transpacific) Service

Via the Panama Canal: Kobe (JA) - Nagoya (JA) - Pusan/Busan (SK) Shanghai (CH) - Tokyo (JA) - Yokohama (JA)

cc-tc

Weekly

Sunday

Ceres

APL

China Shipping Container Line

China Shipping AAE1 Service

Via the Suez Canal: Ningbo (CH) - Pusan/Busan (SK) - Shanghai (CH)

cc-tc

Weekly

Sunday

Halterm

China Shipping

CMA CGM

CMA-CGM Columbus Service

Via the Suez Canal: Ningbo (CH) - Pusan/Busan (SK) - Shanghai (CH)

cc-tc

Weekly

Sunday

Halterm

CMA CGM

Hapag Lloyd

HL PA1 (Transpacific) Service

Via the Panama Canal: Kobe (JA) - Nagoya (JA) - Pusan/Busan (SK) Shanghai (CH) - Tokyo (JA) - Yokohama (JA)

cc-tc

Weekly

Sunday

Ceres

Hapag Lloyd

Hyundai

Hyundai PA1 (Transpacific) Service

Via the Panama Canal: Kobe (JA) - Nagoya (JA) - Pusan/Busan (SK) Shanghai (CH) - Tokyo (JA) - Yokohama (JA)

cc-tc

Weekly

Sunday

Ceres

HMM

MOL

MOL PA1 (Transpacific) Service

Via the Panama Canal: Kobe (JA) - Nagoya (JA) - Pusan/Busan (SK) Shanghai (CH) - Tokyo (JA) - Yokohama (JA)

cc-tc

Weekly

Sunday

Ceres

MOL

NYK Line

NYK PA1 (Transpacific) Service

Via the Panama Canal: Kobe (JA) - Nagoya (JA) - Pusan/Busan (SK) Shanghai (CH) - Tokyo (JA) - Yokohama (JA)

cc-tc

Weekly

Sunday

Ceres

NYK

OOCL

OOCL PA1 (Transpacific) Service

Via the Panama Canal: Kobe (JA) - Nagoya (JA) - Shanghai (CH) - Tokyo (JA) - Yokohama (JA)

cc-tc

Weekly

Sunday

Ceres

OOCL

United Arab Shipping Company

UASC AUC1 Service

Via the Suez Canal: Ningbo (CH) - Pusan/Busan (SK) - Shanghai (CH)

cc-tc

Weekly

Sunday

Halterm

Montship

Zim Container Service Pacific (ZCP)

Via the Panama Canal: Ningbo (CH) - Pusan/Busan (SK) - Shanghai (CH) - Vostochnyy (RU) - Qingdao (CH)

cc-tc

Weekly

Wednesday

Halterm

Zim

NORTH ASIA

Zim Integrated Shipping Line

CANADA, UNITED STATES, ST. PIERRE & MIQUELON Atlantic Container Line Atlantic Container Line APL

ACL A Service ACL B Service APL AZX Service

Baltimore (MD) - New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Savannah (GA) New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Savannah (GA)

cc-gc-tc-rr cc-gc-tc-rr cc-tc

Weekly Weekly Weekly

Mon-Ex / Sat-Im Monday Tuesday/Sunday

Ceres Ceres Ceres

ACL ACL APL

APL

APL PA1 (Transatlantic) Service

Weekly

Sunday

Ceres

APL

APL PA1 (Transpacific) Service

New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Savannah (GA) Los Angeles (CA) - New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Oakland (CA) - Savannah (GA) - Tacoma (WA) - Vancouver (CA)

cc-tc

APL

cc-tc

Weekly

Sunday

Ceres

APL

cc-gc-rr

Monthly

Ocean

Protos

Bahri

Bahri (NSCSA) North America Service

Baltimore (MD) - Houston (TX) - Jacksonville (FL) - Savannah (GA) Wilmington (NC)

China Shipping Container Line

China Shipping AAE1 Service

New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Savannah (GA)

cc-tc

Weekly

Sunday

Halterm

China Shipping

CMA CGM CMA CGM Eimskip Hamburg Sud

CMA CGM SL1 Service CMA-CGM Columbus Service Eimskip Green Line Service Hamburg Sud

Montreal (QC) New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Savannah (GA) Argentia (NL) - Portland (ME) Baltimore (MD) - New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA)

cc-tc cc-tc cc-tc cc

Weekly Weekly 18 days Weekly

Saturday Sunday Mon-Ex / Sat-Im

Halterm Halterm Halterm Ceres

CMA CGM CMA CGM Eimskip ACL

Hapag Lloyd Hapag Lloyd Hapag Lloyd

HL A Service (ATA) HL AZX Service HL PA1 (Transatlantic) Service

Baltimore (MD) - New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Savannah (GA) New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Savannah (GA)

cc-gc-tc cc-tc cc-tc

Weekly Weekly Weekly

Mon-Ex / Sat-Im Tuesday/Sunday Sunday

Ceres Ceres Ceres

Hapag Lloyd Hapag Lloyd Hapag Lloyd

Hapag Lloyd

HL PA1 (Transpacific) Service

Los Angeles (CA) - New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Oakland (CA) - Savannah (GA) - Tacoma (WA) - Vancouver (CA)

Hyundai Hyundai

Hyundai AZX Service Hyundai PA1 (Transatlantic) Service

Hyundai

Hyundai PA1 (Transpacific) Service

Maersk

Maersk Canada Atlantic Express Service (CAX)

MOL MOL

MOL AZX Service MOL PA1 (Transatlantic) Service

MOL

MOL PA1 (Transpacific) Service

NYK Line

cc-tc

Weekly

Sunday

Ceres

Hapag Lloyd

New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Savannah (GA) New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Savannah (GA) Los Angeles (CA) - New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Oakland (CA) - Savannah (GA) - Tacoma (WA) - Vancouver (CA)

cc-tc cc-tc

Weekly Weekly

Tuesday/Sunday Sunday

Ceres Ceres

HMM HMM

cc-tc

Weekly

Sunday

Ceres

HMM

Montreal (QC)

cc-tc

Weekly

Saturday

Halterm

Maersk

cc-tc cc-tc

Weekly Weekly

Tuesday/Sunday Sunday

Ceres Ceres

MOL MOL

cc-tc

Weekly

Sunday

Ceres

MOL

NYK AZX Service

Norfolk (VA) - Savannah (GA) New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Savannah (GA) Los Angeles (CA) - New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Oakland (CA) - Savannah (GA) - Tacoma (WA) - Vancouver (CA) New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Savannah (GA)

cc-tc

Weekly

Tuesday/Sunday

Ceres

NYK

NYK Line

NYK PA1 (Transatlantic) Service

New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Savannah (GA)

cc-tc

Weekly

Sunday

Ceres

NYK

NYK Line

NYK PA1 (Transpacific) Service

Los Angeles (CA) - New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Oakland (CA) - Savannah (GA) - Tacoma (WA) - Vancouver (CA)

cc-tc

Weekly

Sunday

Ceres

NYK

Oceanex OOCL

Oceanex Service OOCL AZX Service

St. John’s (NL) New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Savannah (GA)

cc, gc, tc, rr cc-tc

2x week Weekly

Tuesday & Friday Tuesday/Sunday

Halterm Ceres

Oceanex OOCL

OOCL

OOCL PA1 (Transatlantic) Service

New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Savannah (GA)

cc-tc

Weekly

Sunday

Ceres

OOCL

OOCL

OOCL PA1 (Transpacific) Service

Los Angeles (CA) - New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Oakland (CA) - Savannah (GA) - Tacoma (WA) - Vancouver (CA)

cc-tc

Weekly

Sunday

Ceres

OOCL

Transport Service International

Transport Maritime Service (St. Pierre et Miquelon)

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon (FR)

cc-gc-tc

Weekly

Friday

Halterm

902481-9335

United Arab Shipping Company

UASC AUC1 Service

New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Savannah (GA)

cc-tc

Weekly

Sunday

Halterm

Montship

Wallenius Willhelmsen Zim Integrated Shipping Line

WW ACL A Service Zim Container Service Atlantic (ZCA)

Baltimore (MD) - New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Savannah (GA)

gc-rr cc-tc

Weekly Weekly

Mon-Ex / Sat-Im Thursday

Ceres Halterm

Wallenius Zim

Zim Integrated Shipping Line

Zim Container Service Pacific (ZCP)

New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Savannah (GA)

cc-tc

Weekly

Wednesday

Halterm

Zim

Zim Integrated Shipping Line

Zim SAS Service

New York (NY) - Norfolk (VA) - Savannah (GA)

cc-tc

Weekly

Tuesday/Sunday

Ceres

Zim

b – bulk

gc – general cargo (includes breakbulk)

c – container

rc – refrigerated cargo

rr – roll-on/roll-off

For agent information, surf to www.halifaxgetsitthere.com.

WINTER 2015 ||

13

PHOTOS: STEVE FARMER

AROUND THE PORT

Bigger is better THE PORT OF HALIFAX AND ATLANTIC PILOTAGE AUTHORITY RAMP UP TO HANDLE THE WORLD’S LARGEST CRUISE SHIPS

By Tom Peters

Guiding ships of all sizes through the

ports of Atlantic Canada in a variety of weather and tide conditions takes special skills and years of training. It’s a job tasked to the pilots of the Atlantic Pilotage Authority who bring years of dedicated marine expertise to the job.

There are 17 Atlantic Canadian ports required to use pilots and it’s Captain Sean Griffiths’ responsibility as the authority’s new CEO to ensure the operation runs smoothly.

Griffiths took the helm in July, following the retirement of Captain Anthony McGuinness (see page 8) who held the position for 19 years. The new position is a continuation and new challenge for the St. John’s, Newfoundland, native who followed his father’s footsteps for a life in the marine industry.

14

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Port of Halifax

He got a taste of sea life in his early teens aboard the Newfoundland ferries and when he completed high school he moved directly into a cadet program. In his early years he worked in the steward department “peeling potatoes and feeding officers,” moving on to the deck department. He obtained his various mates’ tickets and by the age of 30 was a master mariner and was given his first command.

After two years at sea and with the longterm view of raising a family, he decided to “come ashore” and started to manage an offshore fleet. He worked with Secunda Marine for a number of years and moved up the chain of command to eventually manage ships as superintendent.

He gained international management experience with J. Ray McDermott, SA, a subsidiary of McDermott International Inc.,

after the Houston-based company bought Secunda in 2007.

When a position opened up at the APA, Griffiths decided to make the leap. “The only thing I knew of a pilot was taking on a pilot and the huge value they had to me as a master and I thought what an interesting job that would be,” he says.

He responds to people who might think he’s young for the position. “I have done a lot and seen a lot in 21 years,” he says. “I’m not anywhere near the peak of my career and I am in one of the best organizations in the marine community and I support masters at the pinnacle of their careers.

I couldn’t ask for more.”

Although he barely has had time to get his feet wet, the challenges of the job can’t wait.

APA has 49 pilots and nine pilot boats. In 2014 it handled 8,742 assignments in 17 ports;

Halifax was busiest with 2,760 assignments.

Having the right number of pilots to meet an uncontrolled demand is always a balancing act. “We are pretty well where we want to be,” says Griffiths. “We have hired quite a few pilots in past few years to meet the demands of retirement and the change of traffic flows in the districts. That is one of the challenges, to try and plan for traffic fluctuations, which we have no control over.

So you can’t be overstaffed because it costs a lot money and you can’t be understaffed because you have to react.”

Griffiths believes the authority is close to having the right balance with a plan to hire two more pilots. “So I think 50 or 51 is where we should be,” he says.

It takes two to three years to train a pilot, who must have a master’s level certificate, to an unlimited class A license. Average cost of that training is approximately $250,000.

As ships get bigger, pilots are preparing for these larger vessels. Halifax is now getting container ships able to carry over 9,000 TEUs. Guiding some of these behemoths through the narrows of Halifax Harbour, for example, takes planning and training, often with the use of ship simulators.

“Pilots need to manage the risk of bigger ships,” says Griffiths. Going to Fairview Cove means going under bridges and through the Halifax Narrows “so that has to be timed and pilots work in concert with port authority.”

Tugboats are also involved for escort procedures. “Pilots have to figure out the time to go under a bridge, work with Halifax traffic to make sure no one is going through the narrows when he is going through, have tugs in the right position and have a contingency plan with an exit strategy,” Griffiths says. Wind is also an issue with these larger container ships because they are higher and wider, he adds

The increased size in the container ships and new services now coming into Halifax with the G6 Alliance and the Ocean Three Alliance have bolstered cargo numbers according to the latest statistics from the Halifax Port Authority.

The third quarter containerized cargo numbers show the upward trend that started in April is continuing. “Container throughput in Q3 is up 6.9 per cent year-over-year and year-to-date is essentially the same as it was at this time last year,” says Halifax Port Authority spokesman Lane Farguson.

The larger container ships (over 8,000 TEU) that started to call on the Port in the third quarter are pushing that number up.

“The most important thing right now is to work together as a Port community to fill the additional slot capacity we now have in Halifax,” Farguson adds.

Halifax handled 305,292 TEUs in the first

nine months of this year.

Farguson says non-containerized cargo is steady at 2.3 per cent below 2014 levels. “Last year during the third quarter we saw 25,000 tonnes of wood pellets shipped through Ocean Terminals and that’s basically the difference,” he explains. “We are expecting to see that shipment move out in the fourth quarter this year.”

Berth utilization at the upgraded and expanded Richmond Terminals 9C remained steady with 42 separate vessel calls resulting in 4,688 hours of berth occupancy from January 1 to the end of September.

“In addition, a portion of the open area at Richmond Terminals 9C is now under long-term lease to a company involved in offshore exploration and the new 75,000-square foot shed continues to provide flexibility for our customers,” Farguson says. “Another interesting move for us was the offloading and reloading of over 1,300 passenger vehicles in September demonstrating the flexibility this terminal provides,” he adds.

On the cruise side, there were 141 calls in 2015, an increase of about 5 per cent over 2014 and the highest number of vessel calls in a single year so far. Those vessels brought 222,309 passengers, an increase of 2.3 per cent over 2014.

Visiting ships have used the new shore power connection for cruise ships about 20 times this season. Q

Happy Holiday s WINTER 2015 ||

15

PHOTOS: STEVE FARMER

IN FOCUS

On the right track MOVING CARGO OF ALL KINDS, CN REMAINS AN IMPORTANT PLAYER OFFERING MORE EFFICIENT TRANSIT TIMES TO NEW MARKETS IN THE PORT OF HALIFAX

By Janice Hudson Canada’s largest cargo-handling railway, CN is a key intermodal link that keeps business rolling in the Port of Halifax.

CN’s history runs deep in the Port.

“They’ve been here since the beginning,” says Patrick Bohan, director of supply-chain solutions with the Halifax Port Authority.

“CN was a partner in the development of the first container terminal at the Port…

All of our ground cargo terminals were built with on-dock rail and extensive rail infrastructure to make large ships and rail shipments efficient.”

Today, all cargo that arrives in the Port of Halifax and requires rail transportation moves by CN. “All of our facilities have Class 1 on-dock railway service, which is one of the great strengths of the Port,” Bohan says.

“CN’s presence here is a large part of the 16

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Port of Halifax

entire marketplace of Halifax, which relies on the Hinterland markets, such as Toronto, Detroit, Chicago, and Indianapolis, in-land markets that aren’t close to any port but are close to the production and manufacturing base of North America.”

In the Port, CN operates the Halifax Intermodal Terminal adjacent to Richmond Terminals in Halifax’s North End. It also runs Autoport in Eastern Passage, one of the largest ro/ro vehicle transhipment facilities in North America.

Automobiles arrive from Europe and by rail from the West Coast and North American manufacturers. The rail distribution from the facility serves all Canadian major destination hubs.

Providing a deep-water gateway with significant on-dock and rail capacity, the

Port of Halifax gives North American importers and exporters cost-efficient access to Canadian and U.S. Midwest markets.

“The CN network brings a lot of great strengths in access through the Port of Halifax that takes you anywhere in North America,” Bohan says.

Jean-Jacques Ruest is executive vicepresident and chief marketing officer at CN. He says the Port of Halifax’s position as the East Coast terminus for CN’s continentspanning rail network offers unique benefits for customers.

“As the Port of Halifax is positioned on the Great Circle Route as the first port of call, it provides the advantage of excellent transit times compared to other ports of call on the East Coast of North America,” he explains. “When time is of the essence,

IT’S ALL HERE!

our transportation time gives our customers a very competitive supplychain option.”

Expanded routes in the Port of Halifax, served by large postPanamax vessels, are creating new opportunities for markets in South China, Malaysia, and Vietnam. “The new Columbus Loop call has opened up direct water service access from South East Asia to Halifax and beyond to the Hinterland,” Ruest says.

With Halifax as the first in-bound port of call, the Columbus Loop opens up faster transit times for local businesses, giving importers and exporters in Atlantic Canada and the U.S. Midwest access to new markets.

Liners with the G6 Alliance are also putting in a weekly double call for the AZX service, which likewise is using the biggest container vessels in the world for the calls.

CN welcomes the behemoths. “Larger vessel discharge supports larger blocks and longer more efficient trains to key markets we serve in Canada and the U.S.,” says Ruest. “With the return of the AZX export call, it allows exporters to efficiently move goods from North America through to the Mediterranean and South East Asia. [This] allows our import trains to be balanced with returned export trains. Achieving balance is critical to the cost competitiveness of the Halifax gateway.

Two-way trade from the hinterland markets is the ultimate goal.”

Currently, CN runs one daily rail service in the Port of Halifax. But the company may consider upping the frequency. “As the rail corridor and supporting infrastructure has capacity, and as volumes grow, CN is prepared to make the addition of a second or third train as required,” Ruest says.

Trains, just like ships, run much bigger than they did a decade ago, which is driving innovation and boosting transit times. “We can run combo trains, [which] is a train made up of a combination of carload and intermodal traffic,” says Ruest. “Maintaining a port dwell time of two to three days is what drives the required level of daily train capacity.

This year, our rail volume from the Halifax gateway has progressively increased and we are very pleased with that trend.”

The Port of Halifax was the proving ground for many of CN’s rail innovations. “The double-stacked intermodal trains and other innovations around how to make it more efficient were perfected here in the Port of Halifax,” Bohan says. “We were one of the first places to offer that. It really got off the ground in the mid 1990s.”

Moving break-bulk project cargo is another specialty CN provides in the Port of Halifax. So far this year, more than 60 carloads have originated in the Port, handling a mix of project cargo such as cranes, boilers and presses. “The Port of Halifax represents an important

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PHOTO: CN

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Port of Halifax

year-round access to key overseas markets.

Looking to the future, Ruest says CN continues to invest in rail and track infrastructure for its current and developing business. “Our focus remains on operating safely and efficiently. CN’s ongoing network investments support running long, double-stack intermodal trains. [Our] inland terminal capital improvements and development of new inland terminals supports the shipping industry to extend their reach into key markets.” Q

PHOTOS: STEVE FARMER

Jean-Jacques Ruest

As reported in the summer 2015 issue of Port of Halifax, CN has also been teaming up with other key players in the Port to bring in wood fibre products at Ocean Terminals.

CN has been bringing in wood fibre by boxcar from a mill in Matane, Quebec owned by Tembec Inc., a large paper and forest-products company.

The product goes into the transit shed at Pier 34 where Logistec moves it into containers, mostly for Zim. A collaborative effort between CN, the Port, Logistec and Zim, this service gives companies like Tembec

PHOTO: CN

IN FOCUS

gateway for break-bulk project cargo, which includes dimensional machinery components and heavy vehicles,” Ruest says.

CN’s supply chain solutions team works closely with the Port of Halifax to promote project cargo shipments. “With the most recent joint outreach being this fall at the Break Bulk conference in Houston,” says Ruest. “The new project cargo terminal at Pier 9 [at Richmond Terminal] with its on-dock rail infrastructure offers excellent capacity and capability to support major projects across Canada.”

Atlantic Canada’s Leader in Industrial and Marine,

Vessel Cleaning

AIC has a large industrial cleaning fleet in Atlantic Canada with over 100 operating units.

AIC has extensive experience and a solid reputation in providing comprehensive offshore supply vessel turnaround services.

Atlantic Industrial Cleaners 11 Brown Avenue Dartmouth, NS B3B 1Z7 Tel: (902) 468-9011 Fax: (902) 468-5977

Port Hawkesbury, NS Tel: (902) 625-2248 Fax: (902) 625-2251

Available Services: • Boiler Cleaning • Chemical Cleaning & Tank Cleaning • Hazardous Waste Management • High Pressure Water Blasting • H2S Gas Management • Industrial Vacuum Services • Marine Coatings • Mobile Hot Water Wash Services • Oil & Chemical Spill Cleanup – 24 Hour Response • Pipe Pigging • Sewer & Catch Basin Cleaning • Tank & Bilge Pumping • Waste Oily Water Collection & Treatment Saint John & Miramichi, NB Tel: (506) 652-9178 Fax: (506) 652-7951

AIC, Cape Breton Tel: (902) 564-0578 Fax: (902) 564-6333

Get

to

No matter what – no matter where. Get it there through the Port of Halifax: reliably, effectively and efficiently.

It’s all about making connections: we serve over 150 countries, delivering virtually anywhere.

Make your connections.

Get the Port of Halifax working for you.

Get it there.

HalifaxGetsItThere.com | 902.426.2620