New international shipping line sails into Port Saint John

The port of Saint John has a new international shipping line.

The first vessel,the Liverpool Express, arrivedfrom the Mediterranean Thursday morning.

"Nothing better than being the first North American stop on a shipping service," said Jim Quinn,the head of Port Saint John.

Between six and seven ships, similar to a bus route, will travel through the Mediterranean, to Saint John, Montrealand then back to the Mediterranean.

"It will be a continuous rotation of ships," Quinnsaid.

The new shipping line comes followingan agreement between theCanadian Pacific Railwayand German international shipping company, Hapag Lloyd in late 2020.

The shipping company has237 modern ships and serves more than 600 ports around the world.Meanwhile, CPoffers significant rail distance into the midwest of the United-States.

The Saint Johnport was tested a few times over the past year to see if the cargo could easily be distributed from the vessel to the rail service.

"This new service will bring more economic growth to the region and provide a vital link to the world," Keith Creel, CP president and CEO said in a statement.

The vessels will be bringing in manufactured goodsand fresh products to the North American market.

Right now, Quinn said vessels travelling from across the Atlantic are heading straight to Montreal. But they can't fully load the vessel because of shallower waters.

Now, those ships can arrive in Saint John and unload in the port city

"Those ships will come out fully loaded, they'll come to Saint John. They'll remove a few hundreds of a container, that will go up to Montreal," he said.

Why Saint John?

Saint John has also become theonly Atlantic port to serve both the Canadian Pacific and Canadian National Railways.

"That's good for the competitive environment in which business people like to existand it's the type of environment consumers like to exist in as well," he said.

The trip to the port inSaint John is 320kilometresshorterthan the travelling toHalifax, allowing businesses to get items on the shelf a lot sooner.

• Maritime port rivalry surfaces in corporate battle for U.S. railway

"Shipping lines are looking for ways of how to get thingsto the marketplace quicker, more effectively, more efficiently," he said.

Quinn said the port is a lot less congested than other port citiesin Canada offering both road and rail.

"You can't beat that," he said.