A new record has been set in containerized cargo volume through the Port of Halifax.
Containerized cargo volume through the Port of Halifax has set a new port record, according to the Halifax Port Authority in a news release Thursday.
In 2017 containerized cargo volume was 559,242 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), which was an increase of 16 per cent when compared to 2016 data. It is the highest volume of containerized cargo handled in a single year in Port of Halifax — the previous record was 550,462 TEUs, set in 2005.
The cruise industry in Halifax also experienced record numbers in 2017, with 173 vessel calls, up 27 per cent year-over-year, and 292,722 passengers, a year-over-year increase of 23 per cent.
“This past year also saw the arrival of Ultra container vessels over 10,000 TEUs to our port,” said port authority president and CEO Karen Oldfield in the release.
“All of this combined provides a very strong foundation on which to build, and we are looking forward to our continued work together in the year ahead.”
Non-containerized cargo in 2017 was 371,913 tonnes and total cargo tonnage through Halifax port facilities in 2017 was 5,010,735 tonnes, an increase of 12 per cent.