CN's business approach supports Halifax gateway growth, CEO says

CN's supply chain collaboration agenda and commitment to operational excellence can support growth at the Port of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and help make the railroad's and port's common customers more competitive in their end markets, CN President and Chief Executive Officer Claude Mongeau said yesterday during a speech at the Halifax Chamber of Commerce/Port Days 2013.

CN's collaboration agreements with the Halifax Port Authority and its two container terminal operators, Halterm Container Terminal Ltd. and Cerescorp Company Ltd., are "creating faster and more reliable supply chains, … and generating positive responses from international shipping lines and their customers," he said.

The Port of Halifax/CN partnership faces significant competitive pressures from other ports and vessel routing options, including the Port of New York and New Jersey, which "enjoys a large hinterland market, and highly competitive sea and land distances between Asia and inland points," said Mongeau.

Temperature-sensitive cargo is a growth opportunity for the Port of Halifax, which now has more than 1,000 reefer plugs versus 500 a few years ago, he said. In addition, CN has invested significantly in new generator sets on containers featuring GPS and remote-monitoring capability.

"With a strong partnership anchored on innovation and a commitment to continuous improvement and increased productivity, CN and Halifax can have a bright future together," said Mongeau.