Have you ever wondered where the largest ice-free port in the world is? Who would have thought of Canada, that nation that can be so extremely cold in the winter? In fact, the largest ice-free port is near Halifax, Nova Scotia. It is also considered to be the second largest natural harbor in the world.
In 1749, the British decided to create a major naval base in the port, and Halifax was founded as a result. Since then, Halifax has remained a major port for naval, maritime, and fishing activities, in part due to the fact that the harbor does not freeze over. Due to the depth of the harbor (more than 65 feet in most parts), large ships can easily sail into it.
Before the atomic bomb, the largest and strongest man-made explosion took place in Halifax Harbor in 1917, during World War I. A French ship loaded with the explosive picric acid, TNT, and high-octane fuel collided with a Belgian ship. As a result of the explosion, approximately 2,000 people were killed and 2 square miles of Halifax were destroyed.
Halifax Harbor is also home to at least 40 shipwrecks, including those of the Governor Cornwalltea good Hope and the Havana among others.
Today, it remains the base of operations for the Canadian Department of Defense navy. Today, the port remains a major shipping hub for North American business. Halifax ports are operated by the Halifax Port Authority. In addition, Halifax has a ship building facility that contains two floating dry docks.