This paper represents an important step forward in not only understanding the major changes taking place in the marine transportation industry, but also the opportunities those changes offer to Halifax. “It is clear that the global trend towards private sector ownership, or at least management, of ports and the accountability and incentives that come from that, has been the driving force behind most of the global port success stories,” says Brian Lee Crowley, AIMS President and one of the papers co-authors. The other co-authors are Charles Cirtwill, AIMS Co-ordinator of Communications and port analyst James Frost.
According to the report, for Halifax to achieve a position as a true global player, it has to get past the limitations of Canada’s public port authority structures and secure a private sector-driven solution modelled on the successes achieved elsewhere. The report lays out the benefits to be gained through a private sector joint venture operating a global trans-shipment terminal capable of handling the biggest ships on the drawing board and then some – a joint venture which should include at least CN and either a global shipping line or a global terminal operator in order to guarantee the necessary volume of containers and then move those containers to market at the cheapest possible price.