Melford International Terminal
| Location | Middle Melford, Nova Scotia, Canada |
|---|---|
| Proposer | Melford International Terminal Inc. |
| Website | melford-terminal |
| Status | On hold |
| Type | Marine container terminal, intermodal logistics park, rail line |
| Cost estimate | $300 million (CAD) |
Melford International Terminal is a proposed Canadian marine-rail container terminal to be built in the community of Middle Melford in Guysborough County, Nova Scotia.
If constructed, Melford International Terminal would be the closest deep-water marine-rail container terminal in mainland North America to Europe and the Suez Canal.
The Melford International Terminal project was first proposed in 2005 with a projected construction period of three years. As of 2015, construction has yet to begin.
Located approximately 14 km (8.7 mi) south of the town of Mulgrave, the facility would be located on the western shore of the Strait of Canso partly on public and private property.
The Melford International Terminal proposal includes the following components:
The project was conceived in 2005 when west coast North American container terminals were struggling to clear a massive backlog of freight shipments, largely imports from Asia. The announced conversion of the Fairview Terminal at the Prince Rupert Port Authority is believed to have been the impetus for creating a similar facility in northeastern Nova Scotia.
A search for suitable geography within proximity of existing rail lines highlighted a property known as the "Melford Industrial Reserve." This property is Crown land located in the community of Middle Melford owned by the Government of Nova Scotia which was set aside by its Crown corporation Industrial Estates Limited for industrial development in the 1960s after the Canso Causeway was constructed. In determining the feasibility of extending rail service to the location, it was noted that an abandoned rail corridor connected the nearby town of Mulgrave, which would lessen construction and right of way purchasing costs.
During the facility's design phase, it was noted that a critical part of the area immediately onshore where infilling and pier construction would take place, was privately owned. This resulted in the Municipality of the District of Guysborough forcing the expropriation of private home owners who had lived in the community for generations.
...
Wikipedia