This commentary appeared in the print edition of the Jan. 6, 2020, Journal of Commerce Annual Review and Outlook.
There are several ways of looking at challenges. They could be short-, medium-, or long-term; local, national, or global; internal or external. With proper planning and foresight, a challenge can also become an opportunity.
One short-term challenge facing the Port of Halifax is having the necessary infrastructure in place to continue to take part in serving the ultra-class container vessels over 10,000 TEU that are increasingly being deployed along the East Coast of North America. This is an example of a challenge that is also an opportunity. Through strategic planning and investment, the Halifax Port Authority is moving toward completion of a deep-water berth extension that will allow us to berth and service two vessels over 350 meters in length simultaneously. The terminal operator has ordered new topside infrastructure, a ship-to-shore super post-Panamax crane.
Another challenge for the Port of Halifax and other ports is finding the balance between efficient marine operations and being a good neighbor in an increasingly urbanized environment. The Halifax Port Authority is working with the government of Canada, the province of Nova Scotia, the Halifax regional municipality, Canadian National Railway, and the port’s terminal operators to develop a solution that will take the majority of port-related cargo trucks out of downtown Halifax. Funding was first announced in June 2019, and we are now in the planning stages.
Finally, digital transformation is increasingly becoming a challenge for those organizations that have not yet advanced a digital strategy. The Port of Halifax has been developing digital solutions for the past several years. Recent initiatives include our live deep-sea vessel tracking system employed by marine pilots, tugs, terminal operators, and labor to assure delay-free arrival berthing and our extended truck traffic management software. For 2020, we will be working with the same stakeholders to reduce departure delays.