Port of Halifax, Canada, is the top-ranked container port in North America, and, world-wide, it’s ranked at number 25 in the comparable port performance list that was released recently by the World Bank and IHS Markit. Shipping Australia has invited the Port of Halifax to explain, in an article below, how the port has achieved such a marvellously high ranking.
Given that the top-ranked port in the World Bank / IHS index was Yokohama in Japan, followed by King Abdullah Port in Saudi Arabia, and given that there were about 351 ports in the report, readers may be wondering why we have focused on the Port of Halifax in Canada?
Well, as explained, Halifax is the top-ranked port in Northern America. Meanwhile, in logistics-related discussions, Australians tend to compare Australia to Singapore. However, there’s a much more similar comparator: Canada.
While no comparator is ever perfect / identical, the land of the Golden Wattle and the land of the Maple Tree are remarkably similar in many economic, socio-cultural, physical, demographic and logistics aspects. You can see just how similar our two countries are in these analyses from the Reserve Bank, the Grattan Institute, Index Mundi, Hofstede Insights, and the World Bank.
Port of Halifax, Canada, explains why it is such a high-performing port:
Atlantic Canada is known the world over for its rugged coastline and natural beauty. The sea has shaped the landscape and the people who live there. Halifax is the capital city of Nova Scotia and is the largest population centre in the region. The city is home to close to half a million people and features several universities, a robust financial district, growing tech sector, thriving ocean science ecosystem and serves as the marine transportation and supply chain logistics hub for the Canadian maritime provinces.
The Port of Halifax is Canada’s Ultra Atlantic Gateway, a deep-water, full-service port that connects to more than 150 countries. In 2020, the total impact of the Port of Halifax on the Province of Nova Scotia was over $3.6 billion CAD in economic output with the direct portion being $2.3 billion CAD. This level of activity generated over 18,775 jobs. The Port of Halifax, and the associated economic activity that comes from the movement of cargo and people through port facilities, is an important economic driver for the Province of Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada.
“Efficiency and reliability are at the core of what we do in Halifax,” said Captain Allan Gray, President and CEO of the Halifax Port Authority. Cpt. Gray is now in his second year at the helm of the Halifax Port Authority, having taken on the role at the end of 2019. He was previously the General Manager of Fremantle Ports in Australia. “Anytime a cargo ship calls on Halifax it means labour hours for those working the vessel, opportunity for cargo owners moving goods through our gateway, and the fact that Halifax is receiving the largest container vessels to call on the East Coast of North America underscores our position and reputation as an efficient and reliable deep-water international gateway port.”
That reputation was reaffirmed earlier this year. The World Bank and IHS Markit announced in May that the Port of Halifax was the highest-ranked North American port in its comparative assessment of global container port performance for the first half of 2020. The ranking is based on the total time that a vessel spends in a port compiled from source data provided by shipping lines.
The Port of Halifax has been building its reputation for efficiency and reliability over the past several years. Having the right infrastructure in place as its needed has been very important. At the start of 2019, the Halifax Port Authority started work on an extension of the existing South End Container Terminal. The project was completed in October of 2020 and with the extension in place, the South End Container Terminal, operated by PSA Halifax, now has a continuous berth length of 800 metres with over 16 metres depth. A new Super-Post Panamax (SPPX) ship-to-shore container gantry crane arrived in July 2020. Able to lift cargo more than 51 metres (170 feet) from the ground and with outreach of 66 metres (217 feet) that can span across 24 containers, it is the largest ship-to-shore crane in Eastern Canada. The arrival brings the total compliment of SPPX quay cranes at PSA Halifax to five.
The Fairview Cove Container Terminal in the Port of Halifax, operated by Ceres-Halifax, has also earned a reputation for high productivity over the years. Between the two terminals, Halifax offers 16 weekly container services with 19 container shipping lines.
Several years ago, the Halifax Port Authority started worked collaboratively with the container terminal operators and with rail provider CN to develop a Level of Service Agreement. The Agreement contains Key Performance Indicators which provide metrics for the parties to benchmark, achieve and evolve. It has produced positive results in terms of reduced import dwell times and improved rail car availability. Performance at each of the terminals is tracked and measured, and the results are posted online to the Port of Halifax Operations Centre here they are available to all.
The combination of deep water, big ship infrastructure, operational efficiency and open berths has helped the Port of Halifax take part in the big ship evolution underway along the East Coast of North America. In May, the CMA CGM Marco Polo arrived at PSA Halifax. With carrying capacity of 16,022 TEU and 396 metres length overall, this is the largest containerized cargo vessel to call on a Canadian port, and the first call for a vessel of this size along the East Coast of North America.
“We have a reliable workforce here in Halifax. We have a strong community sense here. We can work it efficiently and reliably,” said Captain Gray on her arrival. “Saltwater is in our veins. We know how to handle these big ships and turn them around.”
To tackle some of the big challenges facing ports and supply chains, the Port of Halifax is bringing traditional port partners together with tech companies and start-ups in a living lab environment. Called ‘The PIER’ at the Seaport, with PIER short for Port Innovation, Engagement & Research, founding partners have been announced, and transformation of the building is well underway.
Digital infrastructure is the next big step on the path toward greater efficiency for the Port of Halifax, and to that end, the Saab Port Management Information System is now being implemented. This supports port operations and financial processing of vessel calls and facilitates the digitization of the departure and arrival of ships, dock planning, and cargo handling. Efficient vessel arrivals and departures will contribute to an overall reduction of supply chain emissions.
Having the proper infrastructure and landside assets is important, but so to is having the right people and connecting with the larger community in a way that is meaningful and collaborative. Shortly after Captain Gray’s arrival, the Port Community Liaison Committee was developed to foster meaningful communication and information sharing between the Port and members of the public, and to gather feedback from those affected by port operations and projects. The Halifax Port Authority is also progressing with a diversity, inclusion and engagement strategy that will help to ensure that all Nova Scotians see themselves as part of a vibrant and welcoming port community. Part of that includes moving toward supplier diversity and building relationships that will get underrepresented and racialized groups into the supply chain.
“It all points to sustainability,” explained Capt. Gray. “For us, sustainability is the balance of economics, community integration and the environment. As we move forward, we will be conducting business in an efficient way that meets the needs of the present while contributing to the well-being of the future.”
