HALIFAX, N.S. – Open hours were temporarily extended for commercial traffic at Fairview Cove, the Port of Halifax’s busiest container terminal, due to reports of extreme congestion and waits as long as six hours for truckers in late April and early May.

For a three-week period May 5 through 28, truck gates were kept open as late as ten p.m. for regional truckers.

For long-haul truckers the gates were open from midnight to 8 a.m. as well.

The extended hours were necessary to handle a temporary increase in business associated, at least in part, with crab season, explained Calvin Whidden, who manages the terminal for Cerescorp Co.

Be that as it may, Ralph Boyd, president of the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association, said he was pleased to see even temporary measures taken.

Boyd is hoping a more permanent solution for all types of port delays could come with the development of the Smart Port Forum, an ongoing initiative designed to draw all stakeholders together to try to improve the competitiveness of the Port of Halifax.

Container movement from Halifax has slowed in recent months due to CN Rail’s decision in late 2002 to reduce the number of trains on its Halifax-Montreal line.

Atlantic Container Lines recently switched its business from Halifax’s Halterm pier to Fairview Cove. Fairview Cove is in a position to handle the extra traffic provided it has sufficient equipment and proper operation, said Patricia McDermott, vice-president of marketing for the HPA.

The HPA, Cerescorp and CN have all been working together to find a short-term solution to the congestion.