Summary   |  Project Cargo  |  Complex Towing |  Hopper Barges |  Shore Facilities | Container Feeder

Of all the Short-Sea-Shipping opportunities, a container feeder service from the Atlantic coast is one of the most highly anticipated. The Great Lakes remain one of the few areas in the world without regular container feeder services. With the anticipated growth of container movements through the East Coast and the existing limitations on port infrastructure and rail/truck capacity, combined with the need to find more environmentally sustainable transportation systems, there is a clear need for a marine feeder alternative.

MarineLink has been working closely with Melford International Terminal, a new container facility being built as a Greenfield development on the Straits of Canso. This facility is slated to begin operation in 2011-2012. Initially they had not planned on feeder services being a major element in their business model, but customer reaction to the opportunity of having a transportation alternative to CN Rail was overwhelmingly positive and MarineLink is well positioned to be their 'marine' supplier.

Our initial view was for the feeder service to be aimed at moving containers between Canso and Hamilton. This has expanded in scope and it is now side effect of ampicillin envisioned that there would be a feeder service that would have numerous stops including Trois Rivieres, Oswego, Hamilton, the Welland Canal zone and Ashtabula. In addition to these destinations, the TEMS study that MarineLink commissioned in 2007 identified the Ohio Valley as a prime area that needed a feeder service as it was underserviced by existing alternatives.

One of the major obstacles to overcome is the inability for a marine feeder service to provide year round operation and therefore alternatives need to be found to provide service during the winter months. That is why Trois Rivieres was added to the potential route. Canso-Trois Rivieres is serviceable year-round and Trois Rivieres has access to both CN and CP rail service. Winter volumes should not be high as there is a seasonal variation in container volumes that shows significant drops in January and February.

The container feeder service has synergies with other MarineLink operations. In the initial startup period, as the customer base for a feeder service starts to develop, it may be necessary to combine neo-bulk cargo services with container shipping. Additionally, most of the ports will not yet have the load / unload facilities required. Therefore it seems likely that MarineLink will use MPP type vessels with their own cranes and with neo-bulk capability.

In a proof of concept pilot, "The MarineLink Explorer" will be making a trial run of containers from Hamilton to Montreal. however, a regular container feeder service is still several years off. MarineLink continues to develop its contacts with customers and shore facilities; build its expertise in moving containers and the shore infrastructure and logistics required, and positions itself to be ready to serve this emerging market.

Contact the MarineLink team to learn more about our plans for regular container feeder services between the Great Lakes and Atlantic Coast.