Deep water berth extension at Port of Halifax fully operational

The South End Container Terminal extension at the Port of Halifax is now complete and is fully operational. The first vessel to call on this expanded piece of critical infrastructure, operated by PSA Halifax, is the Zim Tarragona which arrived on October 23, 2020.

With the extension project finished, the South End Container Terminal operated by PSA Halifax now has the longest and deepest container berth in Eastern Canada with 800 metres continuous length and 16 metres depth. The recent installation of a new Super Post-Panamax (SPPX) crane, the largest in Eastern Canada, brings the total compliment of SPPX quay cranes at PSA Halifax to five. Vessels over 15,000 TEU already calling further show how the Port of Halifax is a significant player amongst East Coast deep water ports and is taking part in the growing deployment of Ultra-Class Container Vessels.

“PSA Halifax handles the largest container vessels calling at any port in Canada and with the opening of the berth extension we have the capability to berth two ultra-class vessels simultaneously, or three vessels on the strategically important Mediterranean, North Europe and Regional trades that support Atlantic Canadian exporters and deliver for those global Ocean Carriers that frequent our terminal” said Kim Holtermand, CEO & Managing Director, PSA Halifax.

“The ILA sees the completion of the pier extension as Halifax securing its place in North America’s Ultra-Class vessel ports,” said Kevin Piper, President, ILA Local 269. “We look forward to a bright future working with PSA Halifax.”

“All of us are absolutely thrilled to see this project at successful completion. The construction team has done an excellent job navigating expected challenges like inclement weather, and they did it without serious incident during a global health emergency that continues to impact just about every aspect of life as we know it,” said Halifax Port Authority President and CEO Captain Allan Gray. “The completion of this project comes at the same time we are seeing the first of the 15,000+ TEU Ultra-Class Container Vessels calling at our port, and it will help ensure we remain a competitive international gateway which will provide tremendous benefit to national trade corridors, the local economy and the Province of Nova Scotia.”

Timeline:

• • January 2019 Dredging begins
• • Spring 2019 Caisson construction begins at Richmond Terminals
• • Summer 2019 Placement of caissons
• • Fall 2019 Terminal infilling
• • Spring 2020 Concrete walls and placement of armour stone
• • Summer 2020 Arrival and placement of PSA Halifax SPPX crane
• • Fall 2020 Asphalt and placement of additional topside infrastructure