The arrival of two new SPPX cranes at PSA Halifax is Noteable chnage to the skyline at the South end terminal. Closer to ground level, PSA Halifax and the Port Authority have been busy reworking the terminal recent notable changes include:
The shed at Pier 36 has been demolished.
The shed and office building from Halterm are also gone
the ZIM office has been removed (and ZIM now calls at Fairview Cove)
A new maintenance shed is under construction
Infilling of of the basin between Pier B and Pier A1 continues
Friday and Saturdays 300mm+ of rain has caused a significant washout on the CN Main line at Mile 61.5 on the Bedford Subdivision. For reference, Truro Station is mile 64. The washout is located on McClures Brook, behind the Milbrook Band Council offices.
CN Reports the washout should be repaired by Wednesday.
The washout means trains are unable to enter or leave Halifax. I suspect 120 will still run as far as Moncton, with cars bound for Halifax moving the rest of the way once the line is open. I have been told that there are currently 3 trains staged between Moncton and Truro. CN508 (Moncton to Dartmouth general Freight) is stopped at the Truro Yard. two CN120 trains are stopped on sidings at Belmont (Springhill Sub mile 4.8) just before Truro, and Springhill. Once the line reopens, the plan is to Send train 121 currently in Rockingham yard out, then bring the Belmont 120 train in, turn around its power, and send another 121 out, while bringing the Springhill train in.
It seems unlikely that a few days closure will cause ship diversions – Cargo is likely already here, though dwell times at the terminals may increase.
Yesterdays inbound VIA Train was stopped in Moncton, and passengers were bused to Halifax. today’s departing Ocean, will see passengers bus to Moncton.
Councillor Tim Outhit released some renderings of the proposed electric Catamaran Fast Ferries, and the Proposed new Terminal at Mill Cove, which will also include a New Bedford Library and Community Space.
The City received some federal funding to do preliminary designs for the service, and with that work now complete, applications have been put in for additional funding for the project. The total estimated capital cost is 288 million, not including the Library portion of the new building.
The Project will also require a new Halifax Ferry Terminal Downtown.
The new passenger ferries will be electric, and there will be 3 routes – Shannon Park, Larry Uteck, and Millcove. The New ferries will not have an upper deck, but will have a covered outdoor space at stern, and additional space at the bow.
Current progress on infiling at the Ocean Terminals. Most of the fill looks to be concentrated off the end of the Pier 34 RO-RO Ramp, but is likely wider below the Surface.
In today’s Herald, i discuss a recent survey conducted by the town of Bar Harbor on the impact of cruise tourism to the town. Most residents didn’t want to outright ban cruise ships, but were concerned about their number and size.
Halifax doesn’t seem to have much hate for cruise ships, but i did wake up to one email from a reader.
Read your article in today’s business The Chronicle Herald. I for one would like to see the end of cruise ships! They are and will be a menace to our ports and city ! Why does everything have to be about financial gain?
Halifax Fire’s new boat arrived from the builders, and entered the Harbour for the first time on the June 21. The boat, named Kjipuktuk is the Mi’kmaq name for Halifax, and will be heard on the Radio as Fireboat 1.
The new boat is a Firestorm 36, and was built by MetalCraft Marine of Kingston Ontario. The boat is a popular design and is use by fire departments around the world. Unlike the previous boat, this one will live in the harbour permanently, and will be operated from a slip at the Alderney Marina.
The Federal Government announced restrictions on Cruise Vessels in Canadian waters for the upcoming year.
Cruise vessels with greater then 100 passengers are not permitted to operate in Canadian Waters until February 28th 2022. This mirrors the restrictions that were in place last year. The Ban on Pleasure craft in arctic waters is also in place once again.
Those who do not comply with the pleasure craft prohibition could be subject to penalties: $5,000 per day for individuals and $25,000 per day for groups or corporations.
Those who do not comply with the passenger vessel prohibition could be liable on summary conviction to a fine of up to $1 million or to imprisonment for a term of up to 18 months, or to both.
There is no national ban for smaller cruise ships certified to carry 100 or fewer people. They must follow provincial, territorial, local and regional health authority protocols for timelines and processes around their operations.
One Oceans Cruise ship the RCGS Resolute was finally released from arrest in Argentina, and on the way north sunk a Venezuelan warship. One Ocean itself went through a restructuring, and plans to offer cruises in 2021.
Rail blockages by Indigenous protests caused problems for the port. So did Excess traffic caused by a longshoreman strike in Montreal. MSC Diverted ships, but added Halifax to its regular schedule. Containers began to dwell, due to rail delays cased by a shortage of cars, causing excess empty containers were stacked all around port property. The Strike also led to Hapag Lloyd diverted some traffic to Halifax.
Thanks to a presentation posted on the cities public consultation website Shape Your city, we now know what the new truck access to Fairview Cove will look like.
This access will be used to handle the majority of container traffic bound for both the Fairview Cove and PSA halifax terminal in the south end. the new access is off Africville road, in the general area where the dump trucks now access the infill area. Containers bound for PSA Halifax will be loaded on rail cars for transport to the other terminal.
Besides the truck access, the facility will feature a new inspection facility, presumably for use by CBSA to inspect suspect shipments before being forwarded on. that facility will include a shed, and a fenced in yard.
There is no word yet on the changes to the Windsor street exchange to improve access to the site, however the moving of the truck access will free up land making more space available for whatever the final result is.
The 14,414 TEU CMA-CGM T. Jefferson arrived this afternoon, becoming the largest container ship to call in Halifax. The previous record was set last January by CMA-CGM Libra at 11,388. sister ship CMA-CGM Abraham Lincon is also scheduled, as is the 13800teu APL Sentosa.
All the Recent record beaters have operated on the CMA-CGM Columbus JAX service, which sails from asia to both the east and west coasts. 18 vessels provide weekly service, and 1 voyage takes 126 days. Both Records will fall this June when the 15072 teu CMA-CGM Panama arrives, beating both east and west records. the ship is currently Due June 6th.
CMA-CGM T.Jefferson coming along side. (HPA Phato)tug Spitfire III hauling the stern around so the ship can back in to Pier 41.
COVID 19 concerns kept interviews to email, and media off the pier, and i will post some additional photos later.
