Port of Halifax eyes relocation of container terminal to Dartmouth

[Keith P.]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scoti...lterm-dartmouth-port-authority-1.3083500

The Port of Halifax says it's looking at relocating a container terminal across to the Dartmouth side of the harbour as it moves to reduce or even eliminate container truck traffic in the cities downtown core.

"We are a long, long way from saying 'This is what we are doing' but we are certainly looking at the art of the possible," says Halifax Port Authority CEO Karen Oldfield.

The Port of Halifax is in the midst of a master planning exercise. The main objective is ensuring the port is capable of berthing and servicing two of the new generation of ultra-large container ships, which are not calling on Halifax today.

"Ultras," as the ships are known, now carry 13,000 or more containers. The largest container ship calling today, CMA CGM Tage, carries fewer than 9,400 boxes.

The port has not specified if one or both of the existing terminals—Ceres at Fairview Cove and Halterm in the city's south end—would move across the harbour. Oldfield was asked by reporters this week whether a Dartmouth-side terminal is an option.

"We have told our master planning consultants, 'Let's look at this,'" she says.

The port has hired WSP Parsons Brinckerhofff, an international transportation consulting company, to report back on the Dartmouth terminal option and a "second objective."

"And that is to look for ways to eliminate or minimize truck traffic in the downtown of Halifax," Oldfield said.

Make it so, for both sites.