Shipping Service: Halifax

Atlantic Container Line signs new contract with Ceres Halifax Inc.

Atlantic Container Line (ACL) will continue to serve the North American and European markets at the Fairview Cove Container Terminal in the Port of Halifax pursuant to a newly signed contract with Ceres Halifax Inc. that runs through 2022.

Ceres operates the terminal under a lease agreement with the Halifax Port Authority. ACL will deploy new G4 CONRO ships in its twice weekly Halifax calls.

"We value our long-term working relationships with the Halifax Port Authority and Ceres," said Andrew Abbott, President/CEO of Atlantic Container Line. "We looked long and hard at various schedule alternatives for our new ships. Some excluded Halifax. But we just could not ignore the close cooperation and support of the HPA and Ceres that removed every obstacle to a long-term agreement. The quality improvements to the CN Rail service and the consistent cooperation of our ILA colleagues were also influential factors in our decision."

Atlantic Container Line has been continuously calling the Port of Halifax since 1970 following the inaugural call in 1969 of the ACL G1 vessel Atlantic Star in 1969. In January of this year, Halifax welcomed the newest Atlantic Star, the first of the five new G-4 ACL CONROs.

"This is very positive news for all of the key players involved in reaching this new contract," said Port Authority President Karen Oldfield. "We offer our congratulations to ACL and Ceres-Halifax, and would like to acknowledge the level of commitment shown by CN Rail throughout this process. We look forward to continuing to welcome the next generation of ACL vessels to the Port of Halifax."