Halifax: Canada's eastern gateway and Atlantic maritime capital with wealth from the sea.
Halifax is the capital and largest city of Nova Scotia, located on Canada's Atlantic coast at approximately 44.6° N latitude and 63.6° W longitude. The Halifax Regional Municipality spans roughly 5,490 square kilometers, making it the most populous municipality in Atlantic Canada with over 439,000 residents. Its strategic importance stems from one of the world's largest and deepest ice-free natural harbors, establishing Halifax as a crucial commercial gateway on the Atlantic seaboard. The port's position nearly halfway between the Equator and North Pole provides year-round accessibility, cementing its role as a vital economic and maritime hub for eastern Canada.
Halifax Port features deep-water facilities with cargo piers at 41-45 feet depth and excellent shelter. The PSA Halifax terminal includes an 800-meter main berth with five Super Post-Panamax quay cranes, accommodating two deepwater berths or three regional berths. The port handles container operations and diverse cargo types. A new Marine Container Examination Facility opened in 2025 near Fairview Cove Terminal for customs inspections. The Seaport area provides over 2,000 feet of continuous berth space primarily for cruise operations.
The Port of Halifax, Nova Scotia, operates two main container terminals: PSA Halifax Atlantic Hub and Ceres-Halifax Fairview Cove. Together, they offer 16 weekly container services and handle over 600,000 TEUs annually, with ongoing expansions set to increase capacity further. The Atlantic Hub features a continuous 800-meter berth, the longest and deepest in Eastern Canada, capable of serving the world’s largest container ships. Automation is limited; operations rely on advanced cranes and efficient labor. Major operators are PSA Halifax and Ceres-Halifax, with CN providing critical rail connections.
Halifax, Nova Scotia, serves as a strategic gateway port, connecting North America to over 150 countries. It is one of Canada's top container ports, handling cargo for the U.S. Midwest and central Canada. The port offers direct rail service via Canadian National Railway and is the closest major port to Europe, providing efficient shipping routes to major markets.
