Halterm Container Terminal Limited and Newfoundland based Oceanex Inc. announced the signing of a seven-year contract, which will bring revenue upwards of $60 million to the Halifax terminal. Announcing the contract, Halterm CEO and Managing Director, Ashley Dinning and Oceanex Executive Chairman, Captain Sid Hynes, said the commitment was an affirmation of a long standing excellent relationship between the two entities.
“Halterm has serviced Oceanex vessels since 1991 and this new contract is great news for all concerned” Mr. Dinning said. “For our operations teams, it provides further certainty of employment in the current tough economic environment, for Oceanex’s customers it provides assurance of ongoing careful and cost effective management of high value cargo, and from our company perspective, it underlines the confidence our customers have in our ability to provide great service and ongoing operational improvements. “We are looking forward to continued growth as we move forward in partnership with Oceanex,” he said.
Oceanex is a key carrier for the island province of Newfoundland & Labrador. Incoming cargoes to Halifax include high value seafood cargoes, shipped in refrigerated containers, as well as paper and other raw materials from Newfoundland. Outbound cargoes from Halifax include new automobiles, project materials and a wide range of consumer products from the mainland and abroad. In addition to the services it provides within its own terminal, Halterm provides stevedoring services for the loading of new vehicles bound for Newfoundland, from CN’s Autoport location across the harbour.
The combination ro-ro/container vessels also provide trailer transport operators with a viable alternative to ferry transportation between Newfoundland and mainland locations.
Captain Hynes welcomed the new contract, which he said provided ongoing stability and cost-effectiveness for his customers. Over the years a strong, trusting relationship has evolved between Halterm and Oceanex” he said. “We have a high level of confidence in its operational excellence, flexibility, world-class service and its appetite for continuous improvement in terms of exceeding customer expectations. These are critical elements particularly when you consider the high value and the nature of the cargoes they handle for us”.
Mr. Dinning said the new contract was great news for Halifax, as Oceanex was an excellent, reliable customer and the ongoing service ensured Halifax remained linked to a very lucrative seafood source market and other valuable commodities. “For Halterm’s other shipping company customers, whose vessels transship the Oceanex cargoes to North American and international markets, Halterm provides them with substantially lower cost access to this valuable Newfoundland cargo, given that it is unloaded and reloaded to ships from the same location” he said.
The terminal can handle Super post-Panamax class vessels and has three deep water berths, ranging from 14 to 16 meters of draft at mean low water. It is equipped with six ship-to-shore gantry cranes, including two ZPMC super post Panamax cranes with twin-20 capacity. Two more super post Panamax cranes are scheduled for delivery in July of this year.