August 18, 2009
Importers and exporters using the Port of Halifax will now have a direct service to Vietnam. The new service will be part of the CKYH Alliance’s AWE-4 itinerary that will add Ho Chi Minh City to the port rotation.
The CKYH Alliance, comprising Cosco Container Lines, “K” Line, Yang Ming and Hanjin Shipping, began calling Halifax in May. Halterm Container Terminal Ltd., which operates the port’s south end box facility, handles the vessels.
The revised port rotation will be Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Shekou, Hong Kong, Yantian, Norfolk, New York, Halifax, and back to Singapore.
A number of Halifax port users export products to China and several other Asian countries and the new Ho Chi Minh City connection will present growth opportunities.
Colin MacDonald, CEO of Clearwater Seafoods, which has a presence in China and numerous Asian countries, said the Vietnam connection will certainly provide new market opportunities for his company. Clearwater exports about 91 per cent of its products to Europe and Asia.
The Halifax Port Authority has also earmarked Vietnam as an area for growth. Port authority officials have made a number of marketing trips to the country.
Trade between Halifax and Southeast Asian countries is expanding faster than trade with traditional transatlantic markets, the port authority said in a release.
Currently, Asia is the origin for almost half of the containerized cargo handled over the port.
The sourcing of apparel production, footwear and furniture by Canadian and U.S. retail importers has encouraged the expansion of container services to Vietnam.
“K” Line operates eight of its 4,015-TEU vessels on behalf of the CKYH Alliance for the AWE-4 service.
Ho Chi Minh City will be served through the Port of Cai Mep, which has been dredged to handle deep-draft container ships.
Transit time is estimated to be 30 days from Ho Chi Minh City to Halifax and 23 days in the opposite direction.