Dalhousie University To Join The PIER Research Group At Halifax’s Seaport
HALIFAX–The Halifax Seaport is continuing its transformation into a living lab for the transportation industry. The Halifax Port Authority has announced that Dalhousie University will be a member of The PIER (short for Port Innovation, Engagement, and Research).
According to a press release, Dalhousie will look at issues affecting marine transportation, such as marine policy, ocean science, supply chain, and others.
“Dalhousie will bring world-class research talent to help solve the problems of The PIER members. In addition, through our suite of innovation programming and expertise we will work together to help grow the start-up community in the marine transportation sector,” said Alice Aiken, Dalhousie Vice President of Research and Innovation.
The goal for The PIER, which opens on November 25, is to have the various members of the marine transportation industry working together and sharing knowledge to come up with solutions. Some of the partners that have already signed on for the living lab include CN, PSA Halifax, Accenture, IBI Group, OMC International, Saab, and the Halifax Port Authority itself.
“A key strength of The PIER is the diversity of its membership. Having different transportation and supply chain partners and stakeholders all working under the same roof will create the conditions for the free flow of ideas, and that will lead to innovative solutions that will have benefits that reach beyond those traditional sectors,” said Captain Allan Gray, President and CEO of the Halifax Port Authority in the press release.
For nearly a decade, the Seaport building was home to the Seaport Farmers Market, which also had vendors stationed there all week long. While the market was popular on weekends and with cruise ship visitors, it was much slower on weekdays.
“For years and years, that market was always a successful weekend market…but it really struggled to find its footing as a full seven-day-a-week destination,” said Lane Farguson, media relations manager for the Port of Halifax.
“Before Covid hit, we started to look at different options for that building and one of the things we explored was bringing in tenant operators to manage the whole building and create an urban hall.”
Earlier in 2021, the farmers market was moved to pavilion 22. In September, the Port Authority asked for expressions of interest from people interested in running retail spaces on The PIER’s ground floor, where the farmers market used to be. There is a total of seven ground-level retail spaces ranging from 450 square feet to 3,200 square feet in size.