A new direct container service between the Port of Halifax and Vietnam could be a key to new markets, says the head of Clearwater Seafoods Ltd.

"It will open the doors for us to go into Vietnam and take a look at the opportunities there," Colin MacDonald, Clearwater’s chairman and CEO, said Wednesday.

The CKYH Alliance, which includes carriers Cosco Container Lines, "K" Line, Yang Ming and Hanjin Shipping and moves cargo through Halterm, will start the direct service to Vietnam on Wednesday.

Ho Chi Minh City is being added to the existing service and includes direct port calls to Singapore, Shekou, Hong Kong and Yantian.

Halifax has lost shipping capacity in the past year, which has made it difficult for companies like Clearwater "because we ship about 91 per cent of products out of the country either to Europe or Asia," Mr. MacDonald said.

"It is tough when you have to run your trucks down to the U.S. to put your products on vessels."

Clearwater has sales representatives in China, Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong and Japan.

The new service to Vietnam will be "an opportunity to grow the marketplace, and it gives you direct contact into a tough area to get to," Mr. MacDonald said.

Vietnam has been a country of great trade interest for port officials and the port’s customers. It is seen as one of the emerging markets, along with India, Malaysia and Thailand.

Halifax Port Authority officials have made marketing trips in Vietnam, and in January, Nova Scotia Business Inc. included Vietnam in an Asian marketing trip.

Stephen Lund, the government business agency’s president and CEO, said after the trip that now is a good time to develop better trade relations with countries like Vietnam and boost the profile of the port and local importers and exporters.

Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, is a growth market for the Port of Halifax, the port authority said Wednesday in a news release.

"Trade is expanding between Halifax and Southeast Asian countries faster than trade with traditional transatlantic markets," the release said.

Asia is the origin for almost half of the containerized cargo handled through the Halifax port. The sourcing of apparel production, footwear and furniture by Canadian and U.S. retail importers has encouraged the expansion of container services to Vietnam.

The CKYH Alliance began calling Halifax in May, providing connections between Asia and the East Coast of North America. Halifax is the only Canadian port of call on the weekly service.

"K" Line operates eight ships, each with a capacity of 4,015 twenty-foot containers, on behalf of the alliance for the service.

This will be the first direct service between the port of Cai Mep, which serves Ho Chi Minh City, and Norfolk and New York.

Transit time is estimated to be 30 days from Ho Chi Minh City to Halifax and 23 days from Halifax to Ho Chi Minh City.