The Halifax Port Authority and Hamburg Port Authority are working to decarbonize the shipping corridor between Halifax, on Canada’s east coast, and Hamburg, along Germany’s northwest coast.
A Memorandum of Understanding between the Halifax Port Authority and the Hamburg Port Authority is now in effect, signed in Hamburg on September 29, 2022, by Jens Meier, the CEO of the Hamburg Port Authority, and Captain Allan Gray, President and CEO of the Halifax Port Authority.
“We have a long relationship of cooperation and share a mutual drive and commitment toward sustainability and digitalization,” said Captain Gray. “It seems only natural that we continue to collaborate to decarbonise a significant trade route between our two ports.”
The purpose of this collaboration is to: advance renewable hydrogen technologies; accelerate the global energy transition; support cooperation between the two countries in expanding the global hydrogen economy; enable Canadian companies to deploy their technologies more easily in the German market; and, provide German companies with opportunities to invest in growing manufacturing capabilities in Canada.
“The Halifax Port Authority and Hamburg Port Authority are demonstrating leadership in this sector,” said Tim Houston, Premier of Nova Scotia. “They are not waiting for the arrival of hydrogen to begin their operational changes. They are doing the work today.”
The focus of this collaboration is on:
- Port infrastructure for bunkering, and the exporting of green hydrogen and derivatives in the Port of Halifax;
- Port infrastructure for bunkering, and the importing of green hydrogen and derivatives in the Port of Hamburg;
- Fostering collaboration between value chain partners, shipping lines and other interests to advance the use of green energy on the corridor;
- Working towards favourable conditions for decarbonisation, among other things by lobbying for aligned regulatory measures, financial incentives, and safety regulations, as well as working with local communities;
- Sharing knowledge and technology and establishing industry contacts to enable the acceleration of decarbonisation within this route.
The Port of Halifax is known as Canada’s Ultra Atlantic Gateway, connecting to more than 150 countries. In 2021, the total impact of the Port of Halifax on the Province of Nova Scotia was $4.37 billion in economic output with the direct portion being $2.72 billion. This level of activity generated direct and spin-off positive impacts of $2.22 billion in GDP, $1.42 billion in labour income and over 22,400 jobs.
The Halifax Port Authority is committed to ensuring port operations consider the needs of the community, local habitat, and short-term and long-term well-being. Sustainability is built into every facet of the Port and planning focuses on the three key pillars of community, economics, and environment.
Featured image courtesy of Halifax Port Authority.
