Halterm opened the first container terminal in Halifax more than 40 years ago and continues to be one of the largest in Canada with an annual throughput capacity of 700,000 TEU. Recently, Halterm sought to replace its legacy TOS, which had been in operation for a number of years. Halterm desired to modernise its technology platform and adopt an innovative set of TOS solutions, provided by a stable technology partner that could support its long-term needs. After a competitive selection process, Halterm chose Tideworks given its comprehensive TOS solutions and reputation for providing excellent after-sale support.

“Given the high volumes of cargo that move through this terminal, its superb infrastructure and its strategic location, Halterm is well positioned for growth,” said Michael Schwank, president of Tideworks Technology. “With Tideworks’ TOS, Halterm will continue to enhance its efficiency and position as a key terminal on the North American East Coast. We are honored that Halterm chose to transition to Tideworks.”

Tideworks will deploy its suite of integrated TOS solutions including Mainsail Vanguard, Spinnaker Planning Management System, Traffic Control, Forecast  and Digital Bridge, its business intelligence and key performance indicator monitoring tool. Tideworks will also provide its industry-leading GateVision gate operating system to streamline gate activity. Finally, Tideworks will develop messaging to interface with Canadian Customs and provide on-going support of the system server hardware.

“The Halterm Container Terminal is an essential global gateway for our customers,” said Kevin Baillie, general manager of terminal operations for Halterm. “Our excellent intermodal connections and highway access allow our customers to reach their markets quickly and efficiently. We were particularly impressed with Tideworks’ rail planning solutions and excellent reputation, not only in Canada but around the globe. We are looking forward to utilising the power of Tideworks’ comprehensive TOS, which will further enhance our service to our customers.”

Halterm Container Terminal is located on a 70-acre site in the Port of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and is North America’s closest Atlantic coast container terminal to Europe. Over the years, Halterm has become a cornerstone of the Port of Halifax and an important North American gateway.

Appreciation and hands on
On behalf of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, its COO Mrs Thessa Menssen was one of the keynote speakers. She expressed her appreciation for the new TEN-T guidelines, cornerstone of the European transport policy, for the period 2012-2020 drawn up by the European Commission. More money is allocated, there is a focus on a core network and within every corridor there are horizontal projects formulated and is the co-ordination formalised. This is just a starting point because the core transport network should, in 2030 at the latest, be the backbone of transport within the internal market. “As far as we are concerned, this may be earlier the situation. In any case, Corridor 6 has to be ‘in perfect shape’ before that date. It is of the utmost importance that the relevant countries, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and Italy proactively draw up a common agenda to optimise the network and to remove bottlenecks”.

Within the corridor, TEN-T classifies the Third Track (Emmerich-Oberhausen) and the Rhine Valley Track (Karlsruhe-Basel) as bottlenecks. “The Netherlands and Switzerland have an interest and duty to keep putting pressure on Germany to bring about an optimal accessibility of the corridor countries (including Germany!). But they also have to see that ‘our’ projects are in the TEN-T selection next year”.

The huge investments are future proof according to Menssen. The recent transport efficiency analysis of NEA demonstrates substantial foundation to argue for the extension of port capacity in the north range and the need to strengthen its accessibility to and from the hinterland. She stated that ‘the EU corridor approach and co-funding programmes should follow the market and therewith the concentration and distribution of existing freight flows. Along this line, the use of current efficiency in freight flows can be further maximised and even enhanced”.

Growth and shift
The Port of Rotterdam Authority expects the number of containers transported to and from the Rotterdam hinterland, excluding the sea-sea trans-shipment, to rise from 7.9 million TEU in 2008 to 18 million TEU in 2035. At the same time the share of rail and inland shipping has to rise considerably: inland shipping from 1.7 to 7 million TEU and rail from 0.6 to 3 million TEU. Even then, road transport will grow in numbers from 2.1 to 5 million TEU.

According to figures released by the Yangtze River Administration container traffic hit 1 million TEU in October – an increase of 26.4% compared to the same month in 2010. Throughput of general cargo reached 138 million tonnes – up 15.2% in October. For the first 10 months general cargo reached a high of 1.309 billion tonnes – up 16%.

SeaFreight’s terminal is a new facility on a recently completed 41-acre containerized cargo area, which created 15 percent more capacity for containerized cargo at the Port. Crowley Liner Services has also expanded its footprint, adding another 11 acres to its previous 68-acre terminal.

“We are very pleased to have been at Port Everglades from the beginning of our service almost 20 years ago, and to have worked with the Port Everglades team on the new terminal project. It represents a real milestone for our Company and a commitment to our future at the Port,” said Roland Malins-Smith, President of SeaFreight Agencies.

SeaFreight operates eight container ships at Port Everglades with twice weekly fixed-day sailings to and from the Caribbean region, which is a key market for the Port. An almost 20 year customer of Port Everglades that previously handled cargo through other terminal operators at the Port, SeaFreight has a 10-year lease agreement at Port Everglades that will grow from $2,410,000 to $4,129,163 annually including rent over the life of the agreement. Volume guarantees are expected to grow 23 percent higher than current cargo levels within the first six years.

“SeaFreight is poised to grow their business and presence in South Florida with their own container cargo terminal,” said Port Everglades Director Phil Allen. “We are pleased to put this new container yard into service because it demonstrates the Port’s success as an economic engine for the region that supports jobs and financial vitality.”

Construction of the 41-acre Southport Phase VIIA/VIII project began in April 2009 at a total cost of $12.3 million, of which half was financed through Florida Department of Transportation grants. Approximately 227 construction jobs were generated by the project and another 250 direct jobs are estimated to be supported by the new cargo terminals once they are fully operational, resulting in more than $494 million in personal income.

Port Everglades is one of the nation’s leading container ports and a trade gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean. Port Everglades has direct access to the interstate highway system, is within two miles of the FEC rail hub and is just one mile from the Atlantic Shipping Lanes. Ongoing capital improvements and expansion ensure that Port Everglades will have the ability to handle future growth in container traffic. A world-class cargo handling facility, Port Everglades serves as an ideal point of entry for products shipped around the world.