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Ports & Rail

Port of Halifax trials dynamic under-keel clearance system for larger container ships

The Halifax Port Authority is testing OMC International's DUKC 6 with MarineLabs coastal data, aiming to support safer and more efficient transits for ships of up to 18,000 TEUs.

By Yuki ·
Aerial view of container cranes and stacked containers at a harbour terminal
Photo: Quintin Soloviev, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0

The Halifax Port Authority has started an operational trial of OMC International's Dynamic Under Keel Clearance system, known as DUKC 6. The port announced the project on November 3, 2026.

The system is meant to help harbour operators decide how much water a ship needs under its keel in changing conditions. Halifax says the trial will test a centralized, data-driven approach as vessels calling the port grow larger.

Why Halifax is testing it

Halifax describes itself as Canada's only East Coast port able to handle vessels carrying up to 18,000 TEUs. The authority said the trial builds on work already under way on its Marine Safety Management System and on tools that support safe navigation in a shared harbour.

The DUKC 6 trial will use environmental and oceanographic data from MarineLabs, a coastal intelligence company in the port's PIER innovation program. The port said the project also draws on:

  • tide gauge data from the Canadian Coast Guard
  • pilot dispatch scheduling by the Atlantic Pilotage Authority
  • operational feedback from the Halifax Harbour Pilots Corporation
  • input from terminal operators, vessel owners and ships' masters

What it could mean for freight

Safer and more predictable vessel windows can reduce last-minute schedule changes for ships, which in turn affects rail cutoffs and truck appointments at the terminals. The authority framed the trial as a way to strengthen operational awareness and consistency across the port community while keeping larger ships moving.

Adam Parsons, director of marine operations and harbour master at the Halifax Port Authority, said the trial is a chance to see how advanced navigation tools can improve safety and efficiency in a complex harbour. Meg Batchelor of OMC International said Halifax offers a real-world setting to evaluate the next generation of dynamic under-keel clearance management.

The announcement does not set an end date for the trial or promise a permanent deployment. Carriers and shippers that rely on Halifax for Atlantic Canada and Midwest rail connections will want to watch whether the port later reports measurable gains in transit windows or berth reliability.

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