An agreement announced by Canadian Pacific and Hapag Lloyd in late 2020 is now firmly in place via a notice to customers made Wednesday about the startup of a weekly container service on rotation from the Mediterranean to Saint John, New Brunswick. The first vessel of the new regular service, the Liverpool Express, will arrive on May 27th.

Hapag-Lloyd is a leading global liner shipping company with 237 modern ships, 11.8 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) transported per year, around 13,100 employees in 395 offices in 129 countries, serving more than 600 ports worldwide.

Inbound cargo will utilize the geographic and intermodal attributes of Port Saint John, particularly the Canadian Pacific service which offers a significant rail distance advantage into the US Midwest.

The presence of a world-class container terminal operator, DP World, and the West Side Modernization Project slated to be complete early in 2023, continues to attract private sector investment and interest in the Port of Saint John.

Jim Quinn, CEO, Port Saint John said: “The addition of Hapag Lloyd’s weekly Mediterranean import service in Saint John is another achievement in the long-term strategy toward the modern, port of the future. We look forward to solidifying our long-term relationship with Hapag Lloyd as we grow our business together with DP World and Canadian Pacific, partners who are committed to performance, service, and optionality. The new container service is further evidence that our multi-year $205 terminal modernization project, which is supported through a partnership with the Governments of Canada and the Province of New Brunswick, continues to bring new business and investment to our region as Port Saint John’s value proposition is elevated in the marketplace.”

Matthew Leech, DP World Americas, CEO & Managing Director said “We are pleased to welcome Hapag-Lloyd to the DP World Saint John terminal. Hapag-Lloyd’s decision to bring a Trans-Atlantic service to Saint John as the first port of call in North America reconfirms that the terminal’s continued development, combined with CP’s rail reach into North America’s hinterland, are key in offering a more efficient supply chain option to carriers and customers. This new service will also support the local economy and provide increased access to US markets, highlighting the benefit of the Port of Saint John, CP and DP World’s collaboration.”

Keith Creel, CP President & CEO said: “We are just starting to unlock the potential that Port Saint John holds. CP is proud and excited to work with Hapag-Lloyd, Port Saint John, DP World and supply chain enablers across New Brunswick. This new service will bring more economic growth to the region and provide a vital link to the world.”