American Feeder Lines to make weekly calls on once mighty Halifax

ONCE the home of the world famous Cunarders, then the vital launch port for the U-Boat skirting north Atlantic convoys that kept Great Britain alive in World War II, Halifax now boasts of weekly calls by American Feeder Lines serving Boston, and Portland, Maine.


In June, the American Feeder Lines start-up will begin weekly calls at the three ports with a chartered vessel and it has plans to build 10 containerships to maintain the service, reports the Halifax Chronicle Herald.


"This is big news for the port," said port authority CEO Karen Oldfield about the arrival of ships in the 1,000 to 1,300-TEU range.


Ms Oldfield told the authority's annual general meeting it has been about five years since the Nova Scotia port had a regular north-south connection with New England.


"The US government wants to get trucks off I-95 [Interstate Highway 95] and this service will offer a more environmentally friendly alternative," said Ms Oldfield.


The service is expected to match the route of the once-popular Yankee Clipper feeder service that carried containers for Hapag-Lloyd.


Said American Feeder Lines chief operating officer Rudy Mack: "This service gave us the competitive edge for business in the region."
(Source:http://www.schednet.com)