[Saint John] Port Development

[Ottawa]

All things port related. As of today, the second berth (northern) has been visited by 2 ships. The inaugural visit was the Hapag Lloyd Barcelona Express on June 22, 2023. The second was the MSC Canberra on July 4, 2023.

The container lines calling at the port currently are Hapag Lloyd, MSC and CMA CGM.

The north slip is filled in but not fully usable as it probably has to sit loaded for an unknown period of time to bring the load spec up to 2000 lbs/sq ft.

The southern slip is in the process of being filled in. I expect it will have to sit loaded for some period of time as well to get the same weight rating of 2000 lbs/sq ft.

It appears that DP World has taken on some added dock space at the south end of the west side docks. I believe it is what has been referred to as Lot X. There has been no public announcement of this change or what it's intended use will be.

Since the second pair of cranes are now in use, the estimated annual TEU capacity is sitting at ~325,000 TEU's. The projected capacity will be at 800,000 TEUs by the end of 2024. That implies that at least 1-2 more cranes are coming as well as on-dock container handling equipment to meet that goal. Transportation systems will also have to gear up to quintuple+ the record year of 2022.

[Ottawa]

This looks like the first time that 2 container ships will be loading/unloading at Rodney Terminal at the same time. The Glasgow Express is arriving in port as this is being written. And the Cape Corfu has entered the navigation lanes at the western Bay of Fundy.

[ColSJ]

Some color for this thread and a good reference of what we are talking about for any out-of-towners who might not be familiar with the Port of Saint John.

I took this picture in April 2023.

[ColSJ]

Hapag- Lloyd Glasgow Express is pulling into the new pier as I’m typing this. We are most definitely in for a double container ship day.

[nwalbert]

Originally Posted by ColSJ

Hapag- Lloyd Glasgow Express is pulling into the new pier as I’m typing this. We are most definitely in for a double container ship day.

Yes, this will be the first time two modern container ships to be unloaded simultaneously in the History of the Port. A pretty big day!

The more I have started to follow the port development's, the more you can see how massive of an economic driver it is going to be for the region. Buy land and warehouses in SJ if you can.

[adamuptownsj]

I'm still unclear on the location of Lot X. Can someone indicate it in Microsoft Paint?

I wonder of the port has plans for the area between the ferry terminal and AIM/the tugboat slip, including the single decrepit pier. It's not small. It's not in the way of anything else. It has easy rail and road access. If AIM is going to be there for a while maybe this spot is on the medium-term menu.

[Ottawa]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

I'm still unclear on the location of Lot X. Can someone indicate it in Microsoft Paint?

I wonder of the port has plans for the area between the ferry terminal and AIM/the tugboat slip, including the single decrepit pier. It's not small. It's not in the way of anything else. It has easy rail and road access. If AIM is going to be there for a while maybe this spot is on the medium-term menu.

That is what I have referred to as Lot X, from a Port SJ video promoting various parts of the port available for lease. The current status information had been gleaned from the PSJ website map indicating property that is leased or otherwise managed by DP World Canada. In the below image, both locations indicated by "1" are under management by DP World. That lower "1" is likely the decrepit pier you were referring to, and my understanding is that was/is Lot X. It is valuable property in a port looking to expand 5X+.

Below image property of Port Saint John:
https://www.sjport.com/port-map

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by Ottawa

That is what I have referred to as Lot X, from a Port SJ video promoting various parts of the port available for lease. The current status information had been gleaned from the PSJ website map indicating property that is leased or otherwise managed by DP World Canada. In the below image, both locations indicated by "1" are under management by DP World. That lower "1" is likely the decrepit pier you were referring to, and my understanding is that was/is Lot X. It is valuable property in a port looking to expand 5X+.

Below image property of Port Saint John:
https://www.sjport.com/port-map

Americold/Nova Cold Logistics are indeed building a cold storage facility on Lot X, per AllNB. The gravel lot north of the Crosby facility on Gateway St should see construction start in early July. 191,000sf and 60ft high. They already operate out of Dartmouth. Not sure if that's an office or a warehouse or both.

[EnvisionSaintJohn]

• Video Link

Prime Minister Trudeau has recently been pushing for housing to be built on federal owned lands and existing properties, including federal owned port lands. Needless to say, there's all kinds of opportunities for such developments here in the Saint John Region, especially within the core of Saint John.



Not quite everything shaded in in this map is federally owned, but most of it is.

There's quite a lot of room to build some mid rises and high rises on federal owned Port SJ land on both sides of the harbour, more at Barack Green Armoury, and HMCS Brunswicker land.



Better yet, imagine if Saint John could get back one of the soon to be retired Halifax class frigates that were built at Saint John Shipbuilding to "come back" to Saint John replace and the "ship on land" portion of the HMCS Brunswicker, clearing up even more room for housing to be built on that site. It would be quite a sight to behold to see a ship like that tied up at Saint John Harbour, and even more amazing to see it out on the harbour being used as a training ship.

This would be a more long term project of course, but still full achievable within a decade.

In terms of places right now that should be looked at, part of the Lower Cove Terminal is perhaps the best candidate for being utilized to build housing.



The second best place is probably the AIM site.



Some mid and high rises at the former AIM site and on a portion of the Lower Cove Terminal land would be the perfect opportunity and reason to bring back the Saint John Harbour Ferry. Perfect place to live as a port worker, or for someone who works Uptown. Perfect opportunity for Trudeau to do something about the housing crisis with some bold, outside the box thinking... the type of solutions we need to utilize in order to solve the housing crisis!




It would be such a positive transformation for the city (and West Side especially) to go from AIM's filthy operation, to some stunning, modern residential towers, connected by a ferry service to the other side at Lower Cove Terminal where some neo-art deco residential towers be erected, it would be a symbolic link between Saint John's historic past, and a brighter, modern future.

Have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised that JT actually suggested something so outside the out the box! If Wayne Long was smart, he'd pounce on this opportunity to get some housing built on federally owned property, while he's still in office. Saint Johners should contact their MP, and other relevant federal, provincial, and municipal officials to get something done on this front. We have more federally owned land than most cities in Canada... we should be pushing for something to be done in this regard, especially since the Prime Minister seems to thinks it's a good idea... and at least he knows where Port Saint John is.

[cdnguys]

The low hanging fruit would be the underused Customs building on corner of Duke and Prince William. I’m sure you could get at least 65 apartments in there. From what I understand it’s mostly used for storage.

[bridgeoftea]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

The low hanging fruit would be the underused Customs building on corner of Duke and Prince William. I’m sure you could get at least 65 apartments in there. From what I understand it’s mostly used for storage.

It's a shame 10 Sydney is linked to Irving. As that building would be a good apartment spot as well.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

The low hanging fruit would be the underused Customs building on corner of Duke and Prince William. I’m sure you could get at least 65 apartments in there. From what I understand it’s mostly used for storage.

And the parking lot beside it.

Seems like the idea has been kicking around for nearly 10 years.....

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-b...fall-1.3116245

[MonctonianSentinel01]

What a great ideal for a thread! I will definitely be checking this one out daily. If I'm not mistaken the cranes in the picture above on the left side are the newer, bigger ones correct? Are they planning on replacing the ones on the right to handle two big ships at the same time?

Also: Main Port page
https://www.sjport.com/
Project page from the same site
https://www.sjport.com/modernization

[ColSJ]

Originally Posted by MonctonianSentinel01

What a great ideal for a thread! I will definitely be checking this one out daily. If I'm not mistaken the cranes in the picture above on the left side are the newer, bigger ones correct? Are they planning on replacing the ones on the right to handle two big ships at the same time?

Also: Main Port page
https://www.sjport.com/
Project page from the same site
https://www.sjport.com/modernization

It’s actually the opposite way round, the ones on the right are the new ones. They plan to bring in atleast 2 more

[MonctonianSentinel01]

Originally Posted by ColSJ

It’s actually the opposite way round, the ones on the right are the new ones. They plan to bring in atleast 2 more

Opps, lol. Shows you how much I know. Ok TY my friend and that's great news! I hope they keep pumping more into it. This is awesome for Saint John and great for New Brunswick!

[ColSJ]

For the first time ever the Rodney container terminal welcomed 2 ships simultaneously on July 6th, 2023.

[cdnguys]

Will 2023 come in at 150k, 175k or 200k+ any guesses ?
Halifax could not break their 600k 2021 record in 2022 , so wondering if we will have an affect on that this year. It’s acknowledged there is leakage to Saint John.

[Ottawa]

Originally Posted by ColSJ

For the first time ever the Rodney container terminal welcomed 2 ships simultaneously on July 6th, 2023.

2 great pics. And the fog cleared long enough to let us have a peak. Thanks ColSJ.

[sailor734]

Article in the TJ this morning that the Feds have received an application and are contemplating contributing 175 million to a new mega container facility in the Canso Strait near Port Hawkesbury. If built, it would be the closest North American container port to Europe and the Suez canal.

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by sailor734

Article in the TJ this morning that the Feds have received an application and are contemplating contributing 175 million to a new mega container facility in the Canso Strait near Port Hawkesbury. If built, it would be the closest North American container port to Europe and the Suez canal.

Why would they want a port that close to Europe? It's much cheaper to ship to a port as close to market as possible than one ~5 hours by train east of Saint John.

It's an inane idea. Halifax and SJ are under capacity, both have extensive and very realistic expansion plans, and this would cripple both... plus strangle the Sydney plans in the cradle.