Port of Halifax sees stable 2024 results despite container volume drop

A recent report from the Port of Halifax showed stable performance in 2024, buoyed by its cargo operations despite a decline in containerized volumes earlier in the year.

“Halifax is a key international trade gateway to inland markets in Quebec, Ontario and U.S. Midwest. We are a customer-centric, trusted partner,” said Fulvio Fracassi, president and CEO of the Port of Halifax.

The port saw 509,273 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containerized cargo last year, including 117 calls by 42 ultra-class container vessels — each with a capacity exceeding 10,000 TEUs — highlighting Halifax’s capability as the only port in Eastern Canada able to berth the largest ships of their class.

“The global geopolitical situation continued to have an impact on Halifax’s containerized cargo, reflected in reduced volumes during Q1–Q3,” Fracassi said. “In Q4, diverted cargo from other ports and the general shipping peak season resulted in stronger volumes. Overall, containerized cargo was down 6.8 per cent from 2023.”

Total cargo tonnage reached 4.8 million metric tonnes, with total container throughput in tonnage surpassing 2023 levels. Non-containerized cargo, including agriproducts and offshore wind components, rose approximately 20 per cent.

The port’s primary trading lanes included Asia (41 per cent), Europe (34 per cent) and Latin America and the Caribbean (14 per cent). Top exports included consumer products, wood pulp and frozen vegetables, while imports were led by clothing, machinery and furniture.

Fracassi credited the port’s stable performance to strong collaboration across the supply chain.

“At the Port of Halifax, we work as a team,” he said. “Together with our partners at PSA Halifax, CN, labour, marine services including pilots and tugs, and trucking we strive to deliver the responsive service and experience that our customers have come to expect.”

Looking to 2025, the port plans to enhance competitiveness through initiatives such as an Integrated Rail Solution and a new Data Integration Hub.

Visit here for the full report.