Chamber of Marine Commerce welcomes Halifax Port Authority as newest member

The Chamber of Marine Commerce (CMC), a marine shipping industry association comprised of U.S. and Canadian members, including shippers of commodities, ports, terminals, and marine service providers, as well as Canadian shipowners, has welcomed Canada’s Halifax Port Authority as its newest member organization.

According to CMC, the port is a “significant addition” to the association, as many large shipping lines call on the Port of Halifax. The deepwater berths at this port can reportedly welcome the largest container vessels on the Eastern seaboard.

As a full-service port, its facilities include two container terminals, non-containerized cargo terminals, and the Halifax Seaport, which is home to cruise operations, as well as other services.

Jason Card, Director of Communications for the CMC, stated: “At a time when building strength in Canada’s economy has never been more important, vital transportation organizations like the Halifax Port Authority are banding together under the CMC banner to advance best practice, business intelligence, and advocacy that will maintain marine shipping’s place as the most efficient and sustainable means of moving what matters. We look forward to the unique insights and perspectives that the Halifax Port Authority and its partners will bring to our membership, and to supporting the port in delivering economic benefits to its local community, its region, and the country.”

Lori MacLean, Director of Communications and Marketing for Halifax Port Authority, commented: “We’re looking forward to working with our new partners at CMC to promote and further develop shipping and trade through Canadian ports. Ports in Canada are critical to secure supply chains and trade diversification for business. As a vital Canadian gateway, the Port of Halifax is positioned to contribute to supply chain resilience, with opportunities for customers seeking reliable and rapid connections with the rest of the world.”

To note, the CMC advocates for what it describes as “safe, sustainable, harmonized, and competitive” policy and regulation that recognizes the marine transportation system’s advantages and contributions in the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence, Coastal, and Arctic regions.

In other news, the Halifax Port Authority was awarded funding of up to C$22.5 million (about $15.7 million) from Transport Canada to accelerate the development of the Halifax-Hamburg green shipping corridor and prepare the port for the fuels and energy sources of the future.

As informed, the funding is expected to help boost the development of the low-carbon shipping corridor by preparing the port to host and potentially refuel alternative fuel-powered vessels; establishing a hydrogen production facility; electrifying port equipment to reduce emission; and acquiring an electric rail locomotive and launching an incentive program to shift freight traffic from road to rail.