Halifax port added to weekly call of French shipping line

Halifax officially welcomed a new container line to theport Monday as the French shipping line CMA CGM adds a weekly Halifax stop on its round-the-world service.

"We believe this gateway has a future," said Lionel Chatelet, general manager for CMA CGM Canadian.

The service offers a new direct connection between Halifax and Malaysia, Vietnam and southern China.

"The idea is not grab market share from our competitors who are already calling at Halifax. The idea is to bring something more."

Halifax Mayor Mike Savage presented Chatelet and other company officials with a barometer ata short ceremony on the bridge of Melisande. The 335-metre long vessel is capable of carrying 8500, six-metre long container boxes.

For Halterm CEO Ashley Dinning, landing the world's third largest shipping line rewarded a decision made two years ago to "future proof" the terminal. In 2013, Halterm spent $20 million on new cranes capable of handling ever-larger container ships.

"If we didn't have those two additional cranes we would not have been able to attract this business," Dinning said.

Proving sustainability

Dinning says the service opens new markets for businessesin Atlantic Canada.

"The exporters and importers need to take up this opportunity. You have a direct service. Now you have to use it," he said.

Chatelet says he has one year to demonstrate Halifax is a worthwhile place to stop on the world's shipping route.

"We have to prove and I have to prove to home office in France that this is sustainable, that we are able to bring incremental volumes."

Clearwater Seafoods Director of Logistics Todd Protheroe welcomes having another shipping option. Clearwater now ships its frozen seafood primarily out of Halifax's Ceres Terminal in Fairview Cove.

"We are here to investigate what CMA CGM could bring to Clearwater," Protehroe said.

Prior to the arrival of the CMA GGM container traffic in Halifax was down 4.5per cent in the first half of 2015.