Icelandic shipping line Eimskip, which operates a feeder service between Halifax, Portland and Boston, is ending the service in February.
Eimskip officials have been quiet about the discontinuance and phone calls to the company's offices in Virginia Beach, were not returned.
Eimskip started the feeder service last July to fill a void left when Halship ended its service because of financial troubles a year earlier. Prior to Halship, the route had been operated by SPM Container Line.
The main customer of the feeder service is Hapag-Lloyd, which calls Halifax as part of the Grand Alliance with OOCL and NYK Line.
Along with ending the service, Eimskip also has terminated its relationship with some key employees. Russell Herder, who was the line's managing director in Halifax, is no longer with the company. Reynir Gislason, who held the position of CEO of Eimskip operations in America, other than cold storage, also is no longer with the company. Reports indicate Halifax port officials are working behind the scenes to try to find another operator.