Legal Affairs/Safety: SMS for small tugs in Canada
Maritime Hub: VIMC posts impressive results
Terminals: Fibreco’s terminal enhancement project
BC SHIPPING Commercial Marine News for Canada’s West Coast.
Volume 8 Issue 2
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NEWS March 2018
Training
Simulation user community builds momentum
Industry Insight Captain Mike Armstrong Fraser River Pilots
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The Fraser River Industrial Association
A strong industry voice for the Fraser River
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Vancouver is business-friendly and well-connected to the world. — Peter Curtis, Chief Operating Officer, Seaspan Corporation
No wonder Vancouver attracts the best and the brightest. Canada’s largest port is also the most diversified in North America, with a progressive tax regime, rock solid banking system, top tier services, and a lifestyle that’s the envy of the world. Learn more at vancouverimc.org or contact Kaity Arsoniadis-Stein at kaity@vancouverimc.org
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CONTENTS March 2018 Volume 8 Issue 2
NEWS
Cover Story
39 TRAINING
Camosun Coastal Centre celebrates student success with marine industry training
40 SAFETY
ABS reaches significant safety milestone
41 SAFETY
7
EDITOR’S NOTE
8
IN BRIEF
12
INDUSTRY INSIGHT
18
By Jane McIvor
Industry traffic and news briefs Safety on the Fraser River Captain Mike Armstrong, Fraser River Pilots Captain Armstrong is one of eight mariners that can claim to possess the skills to navigate and handle ships coming into one of the most unique and dynamic waterways in the world.
HISTORY LESSON
William Hugh Gillen First Master of the St. Roch By Lea Edgar
20
20
LOWER FRASER RIVER
25
FLOATING HOMES
27
33
43
A strong industry voice for the Fraser River Far from watertight By Amanda Schuldt
MARITIME HUB
VIMC posts impressive results
30 TERMINALS
Safety is all about culture — that culture just isn’t everywhere By Jaya Prakash
Fibreco’s terminal enhancement project sets course for long-term future
TRAINING
Full steam ahead Kongsberg Digital Simulation user community builds momentum in B.C. By Clayton S. Burry
37 TRAINING
Focus on blended training key for MLS’ success
TUG SAFETY
RALmander into the fire Robert Allan Ltd. and Kongsberg Maritime announce remotely operated fireboats for ports
44 EVENTS
Mari-Tech 2018 Honing the Leading Edge
46
LEGAL AFFAIRS
48
SEA STORIES
Safety Management Systems for small tugs in Canada By David S. Jarrett Log transportation on Arrow Lakes By Captain Don Rose
30
12
On the cover: The Pacific Navigator pilot boat (photo from the archives of Dave Roels); above: Aerial of the Fraser River; right: Aerial with artist’s rendering of changes to Fibreco; left: Mike Armstrong (photo: BC Shipping News)
March 2018 — BC Shipping News — 5
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6 — BC Shipping News — March 2018
International Sailor’s Society Canada
EDITOR’S NOTE
Photo: Dave Roels
A
A real head-scratcher
s of printing time, there has been no word from either the Provincial or Federal Governments on whether they will be renewing their funding agreements with the Vancouver International Maritime Centre. I can’t figure this one out. Since its establishment in 2015, the VIMC have been tireless in their efforts to promote Vancouver as an attractive location for maritime business. They have actively and successfully solicited international shipping companies to locate operations in B.C. Indeed, a study published earlier this year by Monitor Deloitte identified Vancouver as one of the top five international maritime centres that is becoming increasingly important for future investment decisions by ship owners. The report cited the efforts of the VIMC as the key factor in the increased visibility of, and competition from, Canada.
To date, the three-year, $5-million investment into VIMC has so far: • attracted 13 international maritime companies, has an additional 13 companies expected to make announcements of their move to Vancouver by this summer and an additional 40 leads that continue to be pursued; • established local and international partners in finance, education, immigration, and a number of other disciplines to actively facilitate growth of the maritime sector in Canada; and • undertaken an aggressive and comprehensive strategy that has engaged ship owners at a one-on-one level as well as through forums and conferences around the world. Further, the VIMC has significantly exceeded all revenue generated targets (see page 27). If countries as small as Singapore
and Norway can generate over $20 billion per annum, imagine what Canada can do. Canada’s West Coast has seen enormous investments in infrastructure since the establishment of the Asia-Pacific Gateway initiative. These investments have been a cornerstone testament to key governmental messages that promote Canada as “a trading nation.” To truly capitalize on these investments and realize the full potential of Vancouver and B.C. as a major, internationally recognized shipping hub, the strategy must include the VIMC and Canada’s global outreach in order to attract commerce beyond our borders. There is no other organization that has so effectively engaged the global shipping community. So why isn’t the VIMC being supported by government? Wish I knew. — Jane McIvor
INDUSTRY TRAFFIC
AkzoNobel develops pioneering marine fouling prevention solution based on UV-LED technology
A
kzoNobel is to develop a revolutionary fouling prevention technology which uses ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LED). The pioneering solution — which uses underlying technology developed by Royal Philips — will be applied to underwater surfaces to eliminate fouling growth. By teaming up AkzoNobel’s cutting-edge surface protection and adhesion know-how with Royal Philips’ unrivalled capabilities and intellectual property in UV-LED lighting and electronics, the two companies are aiming to develop an economically viable solution for underwater fouling prevention. The innovation will integrate UV light-emitting diodes in a protective coating scheme which will allow for the UV light to be emitted from the coating surface, providing the total prevention of biofouling accumulation on the surface of the protected area. The fully biocide-free solution will provide groundbreaking performance and offer complete fouling prevention to the hulls of ships and boats. The total control of biofouling represents a substantial economic and environmental benefit, and when realized, the impact of this new technology on vessel owners and operators will be hugely significant.
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8 — BC Shipping News — March 2018
New marine fouling prevention protective coating from AkzoNobel (with technology from Royal Philips) uses UV light-emitting diodes to provide for total prevention of biofouling accumulation.
“In our Sustainable Fouling Control initiative, we actively explore and develop alternatives to biocidal-based solutions,” said Oscar Wezenbeek, Director of AkzoNobel Marine and Protective Coatings. “This development is a great proof point of our continuous focus on delivering eco-friendly solutions to our customers.” AkzoNobel has long been a frontrunner in developing sustainable marine coatings, having introduced the industry’s first biocide-free antifouling coating, Intersleek, in 1996. The product — a true revolution at that time — presented AkzoNobel with huge development challenges which they were able to tackle. Intersleek has since helped ship owners to save over $3 billion of fuel and 32 million tons of CO2 and it continues to play a leading role in the company’s commitment to making shipping more sustainable. Despite the complexity of this project, AkzoNobel is again confident they will be overcome and ultimately expects the technology to completely revolutionize the fouling control industry. Initially, the focus will be on applications for ships, yachts and offshore assets, but the project could potentially be extended to include other surfaces challenged by bio-fouling issues. “This unique project is fully aligned with AkzoNobel’s continuous focus on innovation,” explained Klaas Kruithof, AkzoNobel’s Chief Technology Officer. “In our quest to not only protect and color, but also functionalize surfaces, we actively look for complementary technologies and partners to innovate with. In this case, the combined capabilities and technology of Royal Philips and AkzoNobel will enable us to accelerate the realization of this transformative innovation, which we intend to initially market ourselves and consider licensing out to third parties for large-scale adoption.”
NEWS BRIEFS GVHA welcomes new directors
T
he Greater Victoria Harbour Authority has four new members on its Board of Directors for the 2018 – 2022 term, including Township of Esquimalt Mayor Barbara Desjardins, Bruce Hale, General Manager at Finest at Sea Ocean Products, representing the Victoria / Esquimalt Harbour Society, and Chief Ron Sam as representative for the Songhees Nation. Starr McMichael was also reappointed to her second term as an independent director. An open application process was created to recruit a second independent director, which was filled by Gordon Safarik. The recruitment process for independent directors was updated recently, based on best practices among similar organizations. The result is a process that fits the bylaws of GVHA, which is governed under the BC Societies Act and allows the community and stakeholders to have a presence on the Board. GVHA’s full board now includes: • Dave Cowen, Chair, representing Tourism Victoria and presently CEO of Butchart Gardens. • Chief Andy Thomas, Vice Chair, representing Esquimalt Nation and is the Hereditary and working Chief of Esquimalt Nation. • Starr McMichael, Secretary (Indpendent Director) and the President of Starrboard Enterprises Inc. • Doug Crowder, Treasurer (Indpendent Director) and the CFO for Ralmax Group of Companies. • Susan Brice, representing the Capital Regional District, is a current director for the District. • Ryan Burles, representing Victoria / Esquimalt Harbour Society, is the President and COO of Black Ball Ferry Line. • Chief Ron Sam, representing Songhees Nation, is the Chief of Songhees Nation. • Barbara Desjardins, representing the Township of Equimalt, is the Mayor of Esquimalt. • Bruce Hale, representing the Victoria and Esquimalt Harbour Society, is the General Manager of FAS Seafood Producers Group. • Margaret Lucas, representing the City of Victoria, is presently a councillor for Victoria. • Mark Mawhinney (Indpendent Director) is an Investment Advisor with Odlum Brown Limited. • Gordon Safarik (Indpendent Director) currently sits on the Board of Variance for the District of North Saanich and the Victoria Airport Authority. • Christine Willow, representing the Chamber, is Principal with Chemistry Consulting Group and COO for GT Hiring Solutions.
Engineers in motion: Scott Wilson, P.Eng
R
obert Allan Ltd. is pleased to announce that Mr. Scott Wilson has earned his accreditation as a Registered Professional Engineer with EGBC (Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia). Scott has been working with Robert Allan Ltd. since 2012 as a Mechanical Engineer specializing in noise, vibration and finite element analysis with a hand in marine systems design as well. Prior to this, he worked with BMT Fleet Technology. Scott is a graduate of the University of Victoria with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. Outside the office, Scott enjoys an active lifestyle including playing volleyball in the summer and snowboarding in the winter. In the past year he achieved his goal of completing his first sprint triathlon as well as his first Tough Mudder run.
Since 1903, the voice of owners, operators and agents of ocean ships that help keep Canada’s economy moving.
www.shipfed.ca New directors Bruce Hale, Barbara Desjardins and Gordon Safarik.
2300 - 1066 West Hastings Street, Vancouver (778-373-1518) 300 St. Sacrement Street, Suite 326, Montreal (877-534-7367) March 2018 — BC Shipping News — 9
NEWS BRIEFS
Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue appoints new Director of Readiness
A
fter an extensive and thorough recruitment process for a new Director of Readiness position, RCMSAR is pleased to announce that the hiring committee has unanimously selected a successful candidate, Mr. Ralph Mohrmann. Ralph will commence his duties at RMCSAR HQ on February 5th where he will be responsible for the Readiness Directorate inclusive of training, safety, and SAR prevention functions. Ralph is a consummate collaborator and he will join RCMSAR at a critical juncture as we strive towards interagency excellence in community based marine safety. Please see below for a brief outline of his background and experience. Ralph Mohrmann is bringing to RCMSAR his expertise in preparing organizations for operational readiness through planning, safety and training system management as well as his deep understanding of inter-agency collaboration gained from over 30 years of emergency response and management experience. Ralph started his public safety career as a wildland firefighter as a Rapattack crewmember with the
BC Wildfire Service (BCWS). He fulfilled many training development and supervisory roles for technical and leadership courses including those related to aviation safety. Ralph’s career with BCWS culminated in his role as the Superintendent of Training and Safety where he was responsible for over 200 technical training courses, the provincial training safety program, national standards and training synchronization, and personnel recruitment. For the past seven years Ralph has been a key organizational leader with Emergency Management BC as the Assistant Director of Operations and he has overseen responses to a variety of local and provincial emergencies including earthquakes, flooding, marine interface landslides and environmental response operations. For many of these emergencies, Ralph was responsible as Director of the Provincial Emergency Coordination Centre for coordinating provincial responses and support to local authorities. Ralph has also represented the province as the operations lead for several preparedness exercises including joint air, land and marine SAR
response exercises, and most recently, the 2017 marine mass rescue operations exercise Salish Sea. In this position he was also responsible for the establishment and oversight of the Occupational Health and Safety Program for the BC Search and Rescue Association and leadership of the Public Safety Lifeline Volunteer Program which includes over 12,000 volunteers across the province. In addition to many technical qualifications, Ralph holds a Diploma in Resource Management and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Alaska and is active with sports as well as coaching his two young daughters’ soccer and fastball teams.
BC SHIPPING NEWS
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In the next issue (April 2018):
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NEWS BRIEFS
Sharp minds to plot new course for industry at Transas Global Conference
M
discussion where Harry Nelson and Rama Myers will be joined by Capt. Pradeep Chawla, Managing Director, QHSE and Training, Anglo-Eastern Univan Group and Brian Luke, President, Bluewater Crew Training. The guest keynote in the final session of the first day will be presented by Glen Hiemstra, the acclaimed futurist, who has advised professional businesses and governments on technology innovation for two decades. The final day of the conference agenda will be dedicated to explaining the A-Suite, the new Transas’ AI-powered cloud solution that promises a step change for vessel operational efficiency, plus other solutions in the THESIS portfolio. The Transas Global Conference 2018 takes place on 6-8 March in Vancouver, Canada. To learn more and reserve your place, visit: www.thesis2018.com
Innovation in Harbour Towage
604. 582.5110
www.samsontugboats.com
Photo credit: Dave Roels
oving from smart talk to practical solutions and learning from other industries will be the twin themes of an industry event scheduled for Vancouver in March. Technology will be an enabler, but the maritime industry will have to be prepared to change its model to be a candidate for a smarter digital future. Meeting the real enterprise challenges blocking shipping’s digital journey is the focus for the Transas Global Conference 2018, whose ‘Enterprise Change’ agenda brings together global business leaders, technology disruptors, academics and the visionaries of maritime in a unique forum exploring the practicalities of digital implementation. Over the course of three days, speakers will consider how the digital business models that have transformed global industries can be harnessed within maritime to build competitive advantage, increase revenue and ensure safety at sea. TGC ’18 takes place at the Marriott Parq Hotel Vancouver, Canada, 6-8 March. The conference will discuss three elements of change: the economic factors around the business model and operations; the technologies that are available; and the impact on the human element. The opening keynote will be provided by Transas CEO Frank Coles who says, “We have had enough talk about autonomous ships and now we need action: action in the operational business model; action in the delivery of technology tools; and a commitment to the relationship between the human and the machines.” “New technology is fundamentally altering the relationship between man and machine,” adds Coles. “The maritime industry needs to be open to fresh ideas, understand the benefits of the digital solutions available, and be prepared to learn from outside its own experience how to maximise the benefits of technology investments. Without a change in attitude, cyber security is weak, technology investments are wasted, and we are simply papering over the cracks.” In the opening ‘Change: Business Model or Technology’ session, industry stakeholders from the economics and finance sector will join ship management and supply chain experts to discuss how technology and shippers are disrupting the maritime industry and changing current business models. Speakers include Mark O’Neil, President of Columbia Shipmanagement; Kris Kosmala from AI-recognition supply-chain solutions provider Quintiq; and Christopher Rex, Head of Research, Danish Ship Finance. In session 2, ‘The Automated Operations Eco System’, Lloyds List’s Richard Clayton will moderate a panel debate featuring David Christie, SVP, Corporate Maritime Quality Assurance of Carnival Corporation, Joern Springer, Senior Director and Head of Fleet Support Centre from global container shipping company Hapag Lloyd, and Ulf Siwe, Communications Officer for the Sea Traffic Management (STM) Validation project. An event highlight is sure to be provided in session 3, ‘Man or Machine’, where the keynote will be given by Capt. Harry Nelson, Director CL Max Consulting and former Airbus Operational Advisor to Product Safety, in a joint presentation with Rama Myers, VP for Aviation of AI technology specialist Seeing Machines focusing on the wider application of AI. Moderated by Neville Smith, Director of Mariner Communications, the session will be continued by a panel
March 2018 — BC Shipping News — 11
INDUSTRY INSIGHT
Safety on the Fraser River Captain Mike Armstrong Chairman, Fraser River Pilots
Photo: BC Shipping News
W
hile it’s impressive enough just to be a marine pilot in British Columbia, to be a marine pilot on the Fraser River takes a certain expertise that can only come with years of watching and working the river. Captain Mike Armstrong, Chairman of the Fraser River Pilots, is one of eight such mariners that can claim to possess the skills to navigate and handle ships coming into one of the most unique and dynamic waterways in the world. And with a 100 per cent safety record for more than three years running (and a close to perfect score for the past 20 years), we can think of none more qualified to provide insights into the intricacies of pilotage on the Fraser River. BCSN: Let’s start with a bit of background on your career. MA: I started working on the water in 1976, on small log towing tugs, and over the following 25 years worked for various companies and on all types of tugs — from harbour tugs to offshore towing as well as articulated tug and barges (ATBs). During that time, I quickly acquired my Mate and Master’s tickets as soon as my seatime would allow. I also did two stints ashore — one at Marine Communication and Traffic Services for Vancouver traffic in the 1980s and another as Operations Manager for Sea-Link Marine in the 1990s. In 2001, I joined the Fraser River Pilots.
12 — BC Shipping News — March 2018
The Fraser River deep sea channel is perhaps the most dynamic ship channel in the world. ...[W]hen the snow up country starts to melt, we feel the effects of it quite dramatically... I served as President of the Canadian Merchant Service Guild Western Branch a few years ago and am presently the Canadian Marine Pilots Association (CMPA) director for the Fraser River pilotage district, Chairman of the Fraser River Pilots (FRP) Committee and a working pilot. I’m also a technical advisor for the Fraser River Industrial Association. BCSN: Could you provide a bit of history about the FRP? And further to that, please explain the difference between yourselves and the BC Coast Pilots Ltd. MA: The Fraser River Pilots date back to the 19th century. Interesting side note: the first known Fraser River Pilot was John “Gassy Jack” Deighton (for which Gastown in Vancouver was named after) in the latter part of the 1800s. The operating district for the FRP includes the entire Fraser River and all its tributaries — in reality though, 99 per cent of our pilotage assignments are on the lower 20 miles. Our boundary is roughly from Sand Heads up river. Regarding differences between us and the BCCP, Fraser River Pilots are
employees of the Pacific Pilotage Authority (PPA), whereas the BCCP is a limited company with a contract for service with the PPA. The employee status is an allowed choice under the Pilotage Act. In our case, we are somewhat self-managed and remain independent from the PPA in terms of the activity of piloting itself. So really, you might call us hybrid employees, but we’re not very different from the BCCP in terms of operations. When I give advice to mariners who ask about becoming pilots, I always tell them to not think about whether they want to be an employee or not (i.e., don’t think about the structure), but rather consider the difference in the type of work and nature of the pilotage district, these are the real differences between the two groups. Both pilot groups ultimately answer to the PPA in terms of the basic implementation of the Pacific Regulations and we all get our dispatches from the same office. Both the river pilots and the coastal pilots are members of the Canadian Marine Pilots Association as well as the International Marine Pilots Association.
The FRP has eight employees at present — six are full-time and two are half-time. BCSN: Is that a typical workforce for the FRP? Could you compare current levels of activity to past years? MA: We’ve had a workforce as high as 10 and as low as six so we’re currently just a bit above average. In 2017, our assignment total was close to 1,200, which represents an uptick over 2016 of about 14 per cent. Looking back over the last 20 years, we were very slow in the 1990s but peaked in 2005 when we had about 1,600 assignments. Since then, it has plateaued and usually sits around 1,050 / 1,100 assignments per year. Work was fairly flat over the five years before 2016 so the trend is definitely upward. BCSN: Do you have a forecast for next year and the future? MA: We should see increases with more container traffic expected in 2018. Looking out further, more traffic will occur with the Vancouver Airport Fuel Facilities Corporation jet fuel import facility as well as potash and a grain expansion at Fraser Surrey Docks. And Fortis BC’s LNG marine
Photo by Captain Stephen Brown
INDUSTRY INSIGHT
Mike is all smiles after safely berthing the containership Manila Express (now re-named the Seaspan Manilla) at Fraser Surrey Docks. terminal is sounding quite promising to move ahead. That would start with a local bunkering terminal and later an export facility to Asia. There are several other projects in the planning, but these ones seem to be the most likely at this point.
BCSN: Could you describe the unique characteristics (and activities) of the Fraser River — what sort of challenges do these present for pilots? MA: The Fraser River deep sea channel is perhaps the most dynamic ship channel
INDUSTRY INSIGHT
Mike stands with Captain Stephen Brown to discuss the many benefits of the Canadian Lifeboat Institution during a fundraiser (circa 2016). in the world. The river extends hundreds of miles inland to the foothills of the Rockies and in June, when the snow up country starts to melt, we feel the effects of it quite dramatically with very strong currents and quickly shifting river bars. This is the spring freshet for which the Fraser is famous. The snow melt brings all of the silt, mud and everything else that was up river (even dead cows, for example) and it accumulates here in the lower part. The river doesn’t just get shallower — you get a lot of humps on the river bed that move around quickly. One day it is in one place and three days later, it will have moved. It’s very dynamic. The good thing is we have maybe the best survey program in the world. It is run by Coast Guard Waterways — the Avadepth program — which is undertaken by Public Works Canada. I can’t say enough about the magnificent work done by the people in this program. They can survey a large section of the river in one day and have a brand new electronic chart delivered directly to all of FRP’s email boxes by the next morning. The data is extremely comprehensive, accurate and timely. From our email we can download into our portable piloting units (PPUs). The PPU is a rugged tablet computer combined with sub-metre accuracy GPS/GNSS and a super accurate rate of turn generator that we can have set up on a ship in a few minutes. It’s a complete navigation system delivering position, heading, rate of turn, AIS traffic information, essentially independent from the ship and definitely more accurate. 14 — BC Shipping News — March 2018
The PPU tool, along with the data from Avadepth, allows us to continue operating throughout the freshet safely and efficiently. Ultimately, Fraser River Pile and Dredge (contracted by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority) catches up a few months later with the dredging. The other main challenge in the river is the gillnet season when there can be hundreds of fishers in a relatively small area with nets strewn across the river. Their season is short and some of them tend to push the limits on occasion in terms of not giving way to large commercial traffic. It’s been a challenge in the river for decades and just one of the many hazards we have to watch for. I have to note that the Canadian Lifeboat Institution is a huge help for us, especially during the fishing season. I can’t say enough about them and their assistance. They’ll go ahead of us and warn fishers — this makes it safer for us as well as the fishing vessels. Pilotage here in the river is very specialized, focussed and it’s all ship handling. BCSN: That leads me to ask about the testing and training for Fraser River pilots. MA: You definitely need a certain expertise to operate on the Fraser. You can’t have a pilot who draws an assignment on the river a couple of times a year. Local knowledge is critical and you have to be on the river almost every day. The process of examination and training to become a river pilot is almost exactly the same as the BCCP, with the obvious exception of the specific geography. It starts with
the requisite sea time that is river-specific, FAM trips, followed by written exams and an oral exam. Once successful candidates are placed on a list, we bring them in as needed, which is when the formal training starts. The apprenticeship is about six months during which time the new pilot does actual pilotage work under the guidance of a licensed pilot. Training will also include practice on a simulator and manned model simulator training in the U.K. Once licensed, the pilot is limited in ship size but that size is stepped up annually over five years during which time there is more training on the simulator and peer assessments. After the five years, the pilot becomes unlimited, meaning they can pilot any ship that comes into the river. The training never stops, we revisit simulators and/or manned models at five-year intervals, or sometimes less than five years if something new pops up, like terminal developments or projects that will see new ships come into the river. I should mention that the PPA has its own in-house simulator and it’s proving to be a great asset for many our training needs. Having our own is much more cost effective and easier to access than other centres abroad. The ownership of the simulator is shared between the PPA and the BCCP. All that said, when it comes to pure ship handling, the manned models are the gold standard. The simulators are fantastic because you have the whole bathymetric model of the river, but for ship handling skills, there’s nothing like the manned models. BCSN: I understand you have a pretty good safety record as a result. MA: Yes, we’re extremely proud of our safety record. It has been 100 per cent in the last few years and for the 20 years prior to that, it was very close to 100 per cent. There is a great safety culture amongst the pilots that reaches back to before we were pilots, yet still operating on the river in other capacities, like running ferries, tugs or coasters. There’s a very high degree of local knowledge, combined with technology like the PPU and a great team mentality that includes the pilots, the Port, Public Works, the Canadian Coast Guard, Transport Canada, CHS and industry. We all meet regularly and now, with the advent of E-Navigation technology, such as real-time
INDUSTRY INSIGHT tide/wind gauges and PPUs, we continue to improve procedures. BCSN: Do you have any issues with recruitment or finding skilled mariners who can do the job of a pilot? MA: The local marine industry has always had a good supply of highly skilled mariners upon which we draw from to keep our numbers where they need to be. They get good basic training and plenty of experience before they get to be pilots and then we give them the high-end specialized training they need to be a good Fraser River Pilot. BCSN: You must work quite closely with industry on the river. MA: Yes, we participate a great deal with industry, primarily to provide expertise in development of new terminals and how to best manage larger ships. When a proponent has an idea for a new project, it’s common that they’ll call us first to see if it’s feasible before moving ahead and committing too much time and money. If the project looks good, we often will run a full simulation/ mini risk analysis to determine if it will work and what is needed for safe operations.
There is a great safety culture amongst the pilots that reaches back to before we were pilots, yet still operating on the river in other capacities... Much of the work we’ll do for these will involve simulator exercises either at the BCIT simulator in North Vancouver or the MSRC Centre in Quebec City. In addition, the Fraser River Industrial Association (FRIA), which came into being a few short years ago, consults with us a on a regular basis and we, although not members, are technical advisors to them. FRIA is a great advocate for the river. BCSN: I’d like to look now at the vessels that you pilot. What sort of trends have you seen for activity on the Fraser River? MA: The major trend in terms of ships is size, like every port everywhere these days. When I started as a pilot in 2001 the maximum size we would see was about 220 metres in length with a beam of 32.3 metres and a draft of 10.7 metres. Now, the vessels are almost 300 metres long, 38 metres wide and have a draft of 11.5 metres. On days
where the tide works to our favour, we can squeeze a bit more than 11.5. The old design for the river was, of course, the Panama Canal dimensions, which are now eclipsed by the new enlarged locks. We’ve already seen the effects of this, mainly with wider-beam ships beyond the old 32.3 Panamax. We’re now going to a 38-metre beam, although for those wider beams we cap the length at 250 metres. BCSN: What about commodities? MA: Definitely less lumber — actually no lumber at the moment except what goes in containers. We have grain now which is ramping up and there are still log exports and steel. Autos remain very strong — at least one to one and a half ships per day on average. BCSN: You mentioned the draft of the vessels and I wanted to ask about trends on the river in terms of dredging and the ability to increase draft allowances.
March 2018 — BC Shipping News — 15
INDUSTRY INSIGHT MA: There hasn’t been any real change in the dredging regime over the last number of years and none are expected but Fraser River Pile and Dredge replaced the old Fraser Titan with a new dredge a few years back (the FRPD 309) which is much more efficient and reactive to the silting. BCSN: Some say that replacing the Massey Tunnel with a bridge is being done to allow for larger ships. Is that the case? MA: No, not at all. It’s completely false. It’s being done because it’s an aging tunnel with traffic problems. In order to go to ships with a significantly deeper draft, you’d have to do a lot more than just remove the tunnel — there’s about another 10-plus miles of river (the whole of the Steveston area is much shallower than the existing tunnel) that would have to be deepened at a tremendous capital cost plus
16 — BC Shipping News — March 2018
annual dredging costs. And that’s just to get down to the depth of the tunnel, to go further, there are other underwater crossings such as water lines, gas lines, etc. So it may be possible to go a little deeper, but the idea of going significantly deeper is not realistic in the foreseeable future. BCSN: Looking at some of the other issues around pilotage, do you have any insights into the Pilotage Act Review? MA: The review is now more than half complete but at this point we can only speculate as to what will come of it. The report is not due out until April or May. Along with industry and other pilot groups, we’ve provided a written submission and participated in numerous round table discussions with the facilitator. For the Fraser River Pilots, our view is that while there may be room for some minor
tweaks to improve a few specific issues, we would not want to see significant change that could have unintended impacts on the great system we have now — a stellar safety record, a system free of pilot delays and a pilot culture that collaborates with industry and a cost that compares favourably with pilots to the south. BCSN: Do you have any examples what you would consider minor versus major? MA: Major changes would include things like centralizing pilotages or bringing in competitive pilotage. In the case of centralization, you would still need a regional presence so you’re only adding an extra level of bureaucracy; and in the case of competitive pilotage, other areas — such as the U.K. and Alaska — have tried and the result is always an increase in costs and a decrease in safety. Minor changes could include some streamlining — for example, changes in the tariff settings process. Currently, it’s a protracted process and lags behind the current environment. Another minor change could be looking at ways to streamline the risk analysis procedure. BCSN: What about pilot waivers? MA: The waiver system has not had much impact on the river, from a pilot’s perspective. None of the ships we currently service are eligible for a waiver as they are all well over 10,000 GT, so it doesn’t affect our pilotage service at all. Regarding the local waiver holders on the domestic vessels, they continue to conduct themselves quite professionally on the river, they’re a good bunch. BCSN: Are there any other issues or regulations that are at the forefront for pilots? MA: On the regulatory side of things, the big one for us is TCZ-4 (traffic control zone), previously known as MRA4, like MRA 1 & 2 in Burrard inlet. This will be a new set of practices and procedures to better manage the traffic flow of wider beam ships and the coming tanker traffic. Along with the Port of Vancouver, we have been working hard on this since last spring and it should come in to effect in March of this year. Much of what we’ve done has actually been happening in the background between the pilots. That is, the pilots are managing meeting points of these larger ships with numerous in-house pilot procedures and special operating procedures drawn up with the port over the years. TCZ4 essentially takes all those documents and practices and properly organizes
INDUSTRY INSIGHT them on the port’s online Port Information Guide. Operationally, I don’t expect local users to notice much difference. BCSN: Are there emerging trends that will have an impact on the future of pilots? MA: To date, the biggest change since I became a pilot has been ship size, but I wonder how much bigger they can practically get. We’re already reaching the limit seen in most ports around the world. The biggest change I can imagine is that the technology of E-Nav will continue to grow and improve as we see with all technologies. As long as we manage that properly it’s a great thing, and part of that is not rushing too quickly to shiny new objects. I still see, more often than I like, the greatest technology of the last 20 years on the bridges of deep sea ships that fails or performs poorly. So, if the established technology has issues, why would we put all our faith in the newest of technology? Contrary to what some may envision, I don’t think you’ll see autonomous ships any time soon on the Fraser River or anywhere on our West Coast for that matter. We must keep looking out the window! The liberalization of cabotage could seriously affect many things, including pilotage, if cabotage was liberalized to the point where offshore foreign vessels were taking over much of the domestic traffic, we might lose that local, expert manpower source we now enjoy. That being said, I don’t envision cabotage being softened to that degree. I hope I never see that, I think it would be a big loss in economic and cultural terms and degrade our sovereignty as a nation. BCSN: Any last comments on the future of pilotage on the West Coast/ Fraser River? MA: There’s no doubt in my mind that pilotage is more vital than ever before here in the river and in our ports everywhere. With the dramatic increase in ship size relative to the existing waterways and the public’s intolerance for any mishaps, this is no time to diminish pilotage in any way. At the end of the day, there are many important layers of shipping safety, but what can be more critical to the safety of a moving a ship than the one driving that ship! BCSN
About Captain Mike Armstrong
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ike began his maritime career immediately following high school by working on small log towing tugs on the Fraser River. For the next 25 years, he worked on all types of tugs, from harbour tugs to offshore towing as well as articulated tug and barges (ATBs), while earning his Mate and Master’s tickets. Mike joined the Canadian Coast Guard’s Marine Communications and Traffic Services in 1982 with “Vancouver traffic.” During this time, he obtained his Chief Officer and Master ON1 from the Pacific Marine Training Institute in North Vancouver (now the Marine Campus of BCIT). Following seven years with MCTS, Mike sailed with Sea-Link Marine as Master and became the Operations Manager. Later he returned to sea with Sea-Link before joining the Fraser River Pilots in 2001. Under the FRP, Mike has continued his professional development, attending institutions such as BCIT Marine Campus, MSRC Quebec City, PMI Seattle, Port Revel France and Ilawa Poland for instruction on such topics as Advanced Emergency Ship Handling and Azipod, and Advanced Maritime Studies using both manned model and in-class simulators. Mike served as President of the Canadian Merchant Service Guild Western Branch from 2013 to 2014 and is presently the Canadian Marine Pilots Association (CMPA) director for the Fraser River Pilotage District, Chairman of the Fraser River Pilots (FRP) Committee and technical advisor for the Fraser River Industrial Association. Mike currently lives in North Vancouver and is one of four brothers who all chose a marine career (Bill, a retired senior manager at Vancouver Shipyards; John, a retired VP & consultant with Saam Smit; and Rob, port Captain at Seaspan).
About the Fraser River Pilots
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he Fraser River Pilotage District assists large foreign ships with navigational conduct on the Fraser River as part of the compulsory pilotage requirement under the Pilotage Act. Covering the entire Fraser River and all of its tributaries, the FRP’s main area of operation encompasses the lower 20 miles of the dredged deep sea shipping channel and extending to Sands Head. As employees of the Pacific Pilotage Authority, the FRP is responsible for the safe passage of international vessels that are 350 gross tons and over. The FRP boasts a 100 per cent safety record for the last three years and an average of about 99.96 per cent for the previous 20 years. All pilots are Captains with many years of seagoing experience, specific to the Fraser River. Currently with eight maritime pilots, the FRP belongs to both the Canadian Marine Pilots Association and the International Maritime Pilots Association. Since the late 1800s, there have only been 41 licensed Fraser River Pilots.
For more information, visit: www.fraserpilots.com.
March 2018 — BC Shipping News — 17
HISTORY LESSON William Hugh Gillen Photo: Dave Roels
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First Master of the St. Roch By Lea Edgar Librarian & Archivist, Vancouver Maritime Museum
any associate the St. Roch with her longest serving master, Henry Larsen. But let us not forget that for her first ever voyage into the Arctic, the St. Roch was captained by another man: William Hugh Gillen. A somewhat enigmatic character, Gillen had a long history with the sealing industry and was a respectable choice for the first Arctic trip. 2018 marks the 90th birthday for the St. Roch, and so let us take a look back at the first master of her brand-new helm. William Gillen was born on January 15, 1872 in Wine Harbour, Nova Scotia. According to his family, he started his sea career at the age of eight. At 20 years old, he began to sail in deep sea ships out of Halifax, mostly to South American and West Indian waters. Early in his career he was on the Liverpool ship Irma when it was dismasted in a hurricane off Cape St. Roque. He was also on board the J.H. Dexter when the vessel was partially dismasted near the West Indies. Drawn by the sealing trade, he decided to travel to the West Coast in 1895 on the sealing schooner Carrie C.W. In 1897, he joined the crew of the Thistle. Gillen also served on board the Beat and J.H. Dexter. By 1898, Gillen was appointed mate on the bark Nanaimo. While working on this vessel, he nearly perished on a voyage to China and spent six weeks in the hospital. Gillen continued to work in the sealing trade and halibut fishery on board Enterprise, Jessie, and Saidie Turpel. After years working on various vessels and gaining the necessary experience, Gillen was appointed as Coxswain for the Bamfield Lifeboat in 1907. Gillen began to settle down and a year later he married Jessie Paterson Taylor in Victoria. Together they had three children: Iver Jessley, Rupert Otis, and Denver Laredo. Iver and Rupert both served on the MS Patterson at the same time as the St. Roch’s maiden voyage. They even had a chance to meet up with their father at Herschel Island. It appears Captain Christian Theodore Pedersen (master of the Patterson) and Gillen had a good friendship. 18 — BC Shipping News — March 2018
Captain Gillen (front & center) and the first crew of the St. Roch, 1928. Parks Canada St. Roch Research Collection, item number HCSR-20-18.
A somewhat enigmatic character, Gillen had a long history with the sealing industry and was a respectable choice for the first Arctic trip. In 1926, Gillen delivered the Hudson’s Bay Co. (HBC) schooner Nigalik to Herschel Island and returned to Vancouver on board the Patterson. It is likely that this friendship allowed his two sons to work on the Patterson only two years later. Gillen’s youngest son, Denver, took a different path. He became a well-known artist who worked for HBC as an illustrator and is credited with creating the image of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer that we all know and love today. Gillen was hired by the RCMP on May 10, 1928 to take the St. Roch on her first trip to the Arctic. He was tasked with navigating her to Herschel Island as soon as the ice conditions permitted. His compensation
was $1,000. If he decided to stay on after Herschel Island, he would be paid $200 per month “and keep.” With a crew of 15 men, the St. Roch departed Vancouver on June 26, 1928 at 2:00 p.m. The trip was not easy going. The ship leaked and the inexperienced crew were seasick from the constant rolling caused by the egg-shaped hull. On the second day at sea, the engine failed and the sails had to be raised (she was intended to sail for much of the journey anyway). Captain Gillen complained that the St. Roch seemed to dig her nose in and was unresponsive at the helm. As far as he was concerned, the rigging was too light for Arctic work and the steering gear
VANCOUVER MARITIME MUSEUM was too heavy. However, Gillen reported an overall positive impression of the newly christened Arctic ship. The St. Roch reached Herschel Island on July 24, 1928 and the crew carried out various duties in the area before returning to Herschel Island on August 28. At this point in the journey, Captain Gillen and engineer Pat Kelly said their goodbyes to the crew and mate Henry Larsen was put in charge. Gillen, for reasons unknown, decided not to stay on with the St. Roch. But his Arctic career did not end there. Gillen went on to command the HBC Arctic supply vessels Nigalik and Old Maid No. 2. It was from the latter vessel that he mysteriously disappeared. In 1929, Captain Gillen took the Old Maid No. 2 to the Mackenzie Delta with a deck cargo of 100,000 feet of lumber. The ship was battered and damaged on the return trip but made it safely back to the Port of Vancouver. In 1930, while preparing for a second voyage, Gillen disappeared from the Old Maid No. 2. The police did not know whether he fell and ultimately drowned, or whether something more nefarious occurred. There was no body to examine, so they appealed to the public for
information. All that was known was that he left the ship at the Evans, Coleman & Evans dock on Tuesday, June 3 at 4:00 p.m. He said that he was going to make a purchase at a small nearby store and return immediately to the vessel. There were reports that a man was seen returning to the vessel at about 5:30 p.m. An accident may have occurred, however, he also carried with him about $500 in cash which could have been a reason for him to be attacked. On July 9, Gillen’s body was finally located near the North Vancouver ferry wharf, close to where the Old Maid No. 2 was docked. His clothing only contained $161 of the supposed $500 he carried. It was never determined whether he was robbed and killed, or whether his death was an accident. Captain Gillen, although briefly on board the St. Roch, nevertheless left a lasting impression on the vessel’s story. His life may have been tragically cut short, but his legacy lives on as the daring first master of the historic ship St. Roch. Lea Edgar started her position as Librarian and Archivist for the Vancouver Maritime Museum in 2013. She can be contacted at archives@vanmaritime.com.
Captain and Mrs. W.H. Gillen on board the St. Roch in Vancouver before first voyage, June 26th, 1928. VMM Photograph Collection, item number 14819.
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www.johnhorton.ca Captain Gillen standing in his RCMP uniform on board the St. Roch. Parks Canada St. Roch Research Collection, item number HCSR-20-16.
(604) 943-4399 / john@johnhorton.ca March 2018 — BC Shipping News — 19
LOWER FRASER RIVER
A strong industry voice for the Fraser River
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n July 2014, local chambers of commerce and boards of trade released “The Economic Importance of the Lower Fraser River.” In addition to identifying economic indicators and threats to future sustainability, the report highlighted the need for a multi-stakeholder coalition to develop an integrated, long-term action plan that would sustain and enhance the benefits of the Fraser River. Recognizing the importance of a strong industry voice at the table, companies like Fraser Surrey Docks, FortisBC, Fraser River Pile & Dredge and Seaspan Ferries to mention just a few, were quick to respond. With the establishment of the Fraser River Industrial Association (FRIA), industry has been proactive in its efforts to advocate for all levels of government, First Nations and stakeholders to come together to discuss and align on benefits, impacts and strategies to ensure growth, prosperity and sustainability for all users. According to Jeff Scott, Chair of FRIA and President & CEO of Fraser Surrey Docks, the initiative is starting to pay
20 — BC Shipping News — March 2018
With the establishment of the Fraser River Industrial Association (FRIA), industry has been proactive in its efforts to advocate for all levels of government, First Nations and stakeholders... off in terms of identifying priority issues and raising awareness about the significance of the Lower Fraser River (LFR).
Setting context
As the longest river in B.C., the Fraser spans 1,375 kilometres — from the headwaters of the Pacific slope of the continental divide in the Rocky Mountains to the Salish Sea. The Lower Fraser stretches from the mouth of the Fraser to the beginning of the Fraser Canyon (at Hope) with about 300,000 people living in the flood plain of the LFR alone (that number jumps to just under three million — or two-thirds of B.C.’s population living in the Fraser Basin). The Port of Vancouver’s 2016 Economic Impact Study revealed that the Fraser River
and the North Fraser River accounted for just over $5.6 billion of Canada’s Gross Domestic Product and generated $12 billion in economic output. In addition, the region represents the largest share (44 per cent) of direct jobs at the Port of Vancouver and supports 55,500 jobs with $3.4 billion in wages. Overall, economic activity along the entire Fraser River is worth $189.6 billion. As noted in the 2014 report, and reinforced by subsequent statistics, the LFR is comparable in size and economic impact to that of the St. Lawrence Seaway. Measurables such as cargo, jobs, wages and economic output all fall within a close margin and reflect similarities in importance to surrounding regions. Indeed, prior to the amalgamation of the Fraser, North Fraser and Vancouver
LOWER FRASER RIVER ports in 2008, the Fraser River Port Authority was the third largest port in Canada based on domestic, export and import tonnage. The economic strength of the Fraser River is only part of the story. Industry has grown up over the last 200 years around a diversity of plant and animal life, including seven salmon species and the world-renown Fraser River White Sturgeon, the largest and longest-lived species of freshwater fish in North America. Further, the uses and activities inriver and on-shore reflect a wide variety of stakeholders and user groups — activities like recreational boating and sport fishing, commercial fishing and shipping, and transportation (including barges and ferries) share use of the river while industry, residential developments, agriculture and parks and beaches line the foreshore. As one of the largest estuaries in North America, the LFR sees about 20 million tonnes of sediment per year.
Representing industry
As noted previously, “The Economic Importance of the Lower Fraser River” recommended that a collaborative regional strategy be developed to ensure a holistic management of the entire LFR and adjacent lands. While the report called on the federal, provincial, regional and municipal governments to act immediately, it is the founding members of the Fraser River Industrial Association who have been quick to recognize the value of engaging with all stakeholders to develop such a strategy. Serving as a forum for the exchange of industry news and information, FRIA has become the voice of industry and has set the following goals: • Raise awareness of the importance and significant economic contributions of this vital transportation artery. • Contribute to the creation of a collaborative and comprehensive strategy for long-term economic prosperity and environmental sustainability. • Advocate for the preservation and/or expansion of industrial activities in key areas along the LFR. • Engage in dialogue with governments and all stakeholder groups to improve economic opportunities and to act as a sounding board to test theory, policy and concepts. • Develop sustainable and environmentally responsible strategies to support growth
The economic strength of the Fraser River is only part of the story. Industry has grown up over the last 200 years around a diversity of plant and animal life... in the context of a healthy and vibrant river. • Have a voice in the development of a navigation management strategy that meets the needs of all stakeholder groups. • Contribute to a responsible and efficient transportation strategy for the region. While it’s early days still for the new association, Scott noted that FRIA is making good progress in raising awareness about the significance of the Fraser River and the need for all levels of government, First Nations and stakeholders to come together. “Over the past two years, we have been focused on identifying the key areas of concerns for our members and developing priorities and action plans to address these,” he said. “In September of last year, we shared our positions on eight key priority issues and have initiated further engagement to share our thoughts, ideas and obtain perspectives.”
Scott noted that to date, FRIA has only been able to introduce the need for a single comprehensive plan and although it was met with positive support, there have not been any discussions towards developing a framework. “This will be one of our key focus areas for 2018,” he added. While recognizing that it’s no easy task to bring together 15 municipal governments, 29 First Nations, more than 20 Provincial and Federal ministries and countless private and public stakeholders like environmental groups, recreational users, railways, port authorities and labour unions, FRIA is taking steps to engage the various groups through a number of venues and vehicles. “We launched our website at www.FRIA. ca at the beginning of last year and the feedback has been exceptional,” Scott said, further noting that visitors have been commenting on its comprehensiveness and
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March 2018 — BC Shipping News — 21
LOWER FRASER RIVER Strategic priorities
FRIA advocates for a streamlined and coordinated regulatory framework that would promote efficient permitting for industrial activities in and along the LFR. success in compiling information on a variety of Fraser River-related topics in one place. “We have tried to ensure that we have captured the importance of the Fraser River from an economic, environmental and community perspective. We will keep adding components to the website to continue to tell a more comprehensive story and bolster information through studies, reports and relevant links.” Scott also pointed out that outreach activities have included regularly invited guest speakers to FRIA meetings to share topics of related impact and importance. “This is a great opportunity for our members and guests to share and explore opportunities for alignment. Over the past year, we have received presentations from the Cowichan Nation Alliance, Musqueam Indian Band and Tsawwassen First Nations. We have also had presentations from Translink, the Ministry
of Transport, the Gateway Transportation Collaboration Forum, the Port of Vancouver and the Chamber of Shipping. And we have broadened our understanding with presentations from the Fraser Basin Council, Pacific Salmon Foundation, Fraser River Discovery Centre and Clear Seas Centre for Responsible Marine Shipping.” If that’s not enough, FRIA also organized a joint working session with 11 different boards of trades and chambers of commerce to share strategies and identify common areas of interest. They have also met with all levels of government. Further sessions are planned for this year and Scott indicated that one of their goals for 2018 will be to increase focus on engaging the federal government. Finally, FRIA continues to sponsor various community events to raise their profile and have been invited to introduce the association at various speaking engagements.
In the early days of establishing FRIA, members identified eight strategic priorities to guide association activities: Stakeholder engagement As evidenced above, FRIA is committed to creating and preserving a collaborative engagement process that builds understanding, support and alignment with critical stakeholders, communities, governments, commercial enterprises and First Nations who have an interest in the LFR. By creating awareness, understanding and alignment of the significant economic importance of the LFR through consistent and meaningful engagement and connecting with stakeholders through a series of mediums to promote dialogue and communication, FRIA is looking to strengthen industry’s voice, build understanding and alignment, and promote ongoing and safe operations. As part of this strategic priority, FRIA’s goal is to build awareness and support that bolsters industries’ ability to gain infrastructure funding from the government.
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Industrial land FRIA supports the more efficient use of industrial lands around the LFR, and is an advocate for the sustainable expansion of these lands in line with regional growth initiatives. Working with First Nations, government, stakeholders and communities to ensure that the use and availability of existing industrial land is protected and maintained, FRIA has set a priority of seeking out opportunities to grow the industrial land base where appropriate and support an industrial land banking strategy. Port competitiveness FRIA advocates for fee levels and structures that encourage investment and ensure the ongoing competitiveness of businesses that operate on the Lower Fraser River. As part of this vision, FRIA believes the LFR can be a world-class port that provides regionally, nationally and globally competitive cost, productivity and fluidity alternatives to customers in a way that is well aligned and integrated with all stakeholders and other user groups. Stewardship FRIA recognizes and respects the unique ecosystems and biodiversity of the LFR and supports the implementation of programs,
policies and procedures that protect people, wildlife and habitats. FRIA’s goal for this priority is to see the LFR take a global leading approach to maintaining an economically significant transportation artery that effectively understands and balances the needs of all stakeholders while always considering the environment, culture and economy. Channel improvements FRIA supports regulatory changes to protect and optimize use of the LFR, including navigation safety enhancement, dredging, dike protection, debris reduction and protection of the environment. For this priority, FRIA sees the LFR as a world-class waterway that supports industry and trade in a safe and sustainable way, while maintaining and improving the interests of existing stakeholders and traditional users. Marine and public safety FRIA is committed to safe commercial activity along the LFR and has set the goal of building a robust safety culture beyond the regulations amongst commercial vessel operators, across all fleets, through the implementation of consistent safety practices by all service providers and clients.
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LOWER FRASER RIVER “As a unified, non-partisan voice for businesses and industries operating in and along the Lower Fraser River, we feel that FRIA has set a foundation that can only get stronger.” Land transportation access and congestion FRIA promotes fluidity and efficient access to commercial and industrial lands, and therefore seeks to be consulted to provide guidance in any planning process that contemplates a change to rail or road infrastructure or capacity along the LFR. “Industry along the Lower Fraser River believes that the implementation of effective transportation strategies can only be achieved through a joint Lower Mainland Transportation Committee with representation from industry, First Nations, government, stakeholders and community,” noted Scott. Streamlined regulatory processes FRIA advocates for a streamlined and coordinated regulatory framework that would promote efficient permitting for industrial activities in and along the LFR. As part of its vision, FRIA sees industry working with all regulators and levels of government to ensure that expansion and enhancement projects follow a rigid and stringent set of guidelines that properly evaluates potential impacts and identifies necessary mitigation requirements within timelines that do not jeopardize the success of the projects.
The future
When asked to evaluate progress in moving FRIA’s agenda ahead, Scott noted that stakeholder engagement had resulted in positive
24 — BC Shipping News — March 2018
steps forward. “Most people are willing to talk about the Fraser River and agree on the significance of its importance,” he said. “We have recently made progress on the completion of some navigational enhancements and aligned on infrastructure priorities.” While all eight of the strategies listed above remain a priority for FRIA members, Scott indicated that they are in the process of determining the top three to five action items that require immediate focus. “We hope to share these in the next couple of months,” he said. “In the meantime, we keep current on issues of importance and have recently submitted letters supporting positions on things like Marine Risk Assessment and the new infrastructure fund.” Scott said that the association is tracking infrastructure plans very closely. “We want to make sure access and fluidity is being continually advanced to the benefit of all stakeholders, including rail network capacity.” He went on to say that “we are concerned about the loss of industrial lands in and around the Fraser River and will continue to promote and advocate for their preservation and efficient use. “We are also monitoring navigation changes very closely and will continue to advocate for enhanced channel capabilities, including work to improve the permit process for dredging under the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource
Operations on areas recently returned to Provincial jurisdiction.” Other concerns and issues — such as increased fees and lease costs that could make them uncompetitive or the opportunities and promise of short sea shipping — are also on the radar of FRIA members. “We promote initiatives for enabling short sea shipping including incentive programs to assist in their start up and we continue to work hard to better understand ways to improve the sustainability and safety of the river.” When asked about the association’s position on the Provincial Government’s delay in replacing the Massey Tunnel, Scott said: “We have not taken a formal position on the delay or the bridge yet, however we are disappointed in government’s ability to stick with a plan. We believe there were comprehensive studies, significant analysis, good community consultation and the plan was well thought out and vetted. It remains unclear as to why the project is not moving forward. We support infrastructure improvements that enable the more efficient movement of goods and people and feel the tunnel, in its current state and condition, is creating bottlenecks and congestion that are negatively impacting our members. However, our members will continue to look at ways to fully leverage the opportunities along the Fraser River with or without the George Massey Tunnel in place.”
Call to action
Overall, Scott was pleased with the progress that the new association has been making but recognized there was still much to do, including building up the association’s membership roster. Current membership includes: Catalyst Paper, Coast 2000 Terminals, Fortis BC, Fraser River Pile and Dredge, Fraser Surrey Docks, Seaspan Ferries, SRY Rail Link, Vancouver Airport Fuel Facilities, Westpac Midstream and WWL Vehicle Services. With 10 of the largest operations on the LFR already signed on, Scott sees great opportunities to build on that number and strengthen the voice of FRIA. “As a unified, non-partisan voice for businesses and industries operating in and along the Lower Fraser River, we feel that FRIA has set a foundation that can only get stronger.” To find out more about membership, contact FRIA at info@fria.ca or visit www. fria.ca. BCSN
FLOATING HOMES
Photo: Dave Roels
T
Far from watertight By Amanda Schuldt
he Mighty Fraser flows for 1,375 kilometres through British Columbia to the mouth of the river in Delta before emptying into the Salish Sea. Not only has the Fraser been a significant source of livelihood for many people over hundreds of years, but it provides a beautiful and unique location for residents of floating home communities. Today, floating home residents and business owners along the river are facing some difficult challenges, burdening costs and troubling uncertainty. Water lot lease renewal is one of these challenges. The BC Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNRO) is relatively new at overseeing the renewal process, but as Kelly McCloskey, President of the BC Floating Homes Association, explains, “anyone with a lease on the lower part of the Fraser River is in limbo right now.” This affects a diverse group that includes individuals with a water lot lease, marinas renting out berths for a collection of float homes, fishing plants, barge towing and tour boat operators, etc. McCloskey warns that for float home residents, the “uncertainty prevents people from renovating their houses…or upgrading their docks, decreasing the value of their house. Who is going to invest in a piece of property if there is uncertainty about whether the government is going to let you stay?” Many lease renewals came due over the past two years and in some cases, the government has offered lease owners a one-year
Today, floating home residents and business owners along the river are facing some difficult challenges, burdening costs and troubling uncertainty. renewal on expired 30/40/50/ and even 60-year leases. The concern, as McCloskey explains, is that “Banks are very nervous when there is no security.” As a temporary measure, a Licence of Occupation (LOO) might be all that has been issued and this presents problems, particularly when applying for insurance. Mike Owen of Ladner Reach Properties Ltd. manages a 28-berth floating home marina in Delta. According to Owen, a lease gives the individual or business owner “an exclusive use of the water lot, which is very important for your insurance company…for your business activities.” A Licence of Occupation however, is not as secure as a lease, reduces control over the water lot and has financial and mortgage issues. “You can’t treat it as part of your asset, even though you have the riparian rights to that water lot,” warns Owen. “Insurance companies often view a Licence of Occupation as a higher risk and as such, charge a higher premium.” In many cases, the management plan will have an effect on how quickly a lease may be renewed. Where there is continuity over “use” or “activity” on the river, renewal should be fairly straightforward. Indeed, some businesses have been operating since
the 1900s. Using the example of a commercial fisherman changing his business to a water taxi or tour boat operation (as many fishermen did in the 1980s), Owen pointed out that the LOO may not permit that, whereas a lease gives the business owner exclusive use of that water lot. “In the past, it probably would have just been a phone call to let the old Fraser Port Authority know that the insurance policy was in place. It’s not that simple with FLNRO. According to Gabrielle Price at the FLNRO, “The target turnaround time for new and replacement applications is approximately 140 days. Application timing depends on the complexity of the application and whether the applicant can provide all the required information.” In addition, “the recommended term for a lease is 30 years. However, the final term offered may vary due to many factors including input from stakeholder engagement and First Nations consultation, environmental or other risks and/or other interests on the land.”
Sediment
Another burden on property owners is the buildup of sediment on the river and the challenge of keeping the back water
March 2018 — BC Shipping News — 25
FLOATING HOMES Sediment removal, testing and disposal are expensive undertakings given that 20 to 30 million cubic metres flow ... every year. channels and tributaries open — often where business operators and residents are located. The main channel of the river is dredged by the Federal Government but in order to keep the main transportation routes open, water was diverted to allow the river to dredge naturally. This action removed water from surrounding channels and as a result, created the problem of sediment build up. “Millions of dollars are spent each year to break ice on the St. Lawrence to ensure it is navigable and to prevent flooding,” said Owen. “Sediment on the Fraser should be no different — it’s B.C.’s ice.” Stemming from the sediment issue is the Ocean Protection Fee, which was brought in for ocean disposal protection. At a cost of 47 cents per cubic metre, the fee is only payable by water lot lease holders in the Lower Fraser River, not the upper river. Owen questions the fairness of this practice when he compares properties below the Port Mann Bridge to those in Mission or Harrison. He elaborates further to suggest that the federal program and fee has been applied unfairly by distributing responsibility onto a group of people who have no choice but to pay for dredging. And dredging is only the first step. The dredged sediment must then be inspected, tested, hauled and relocated to ocean disposal sites at considerable cost.
Sediment removal, testing and disposal are expensive undertakings given that 20 to 30 million cubic metres flow down the river naturally every year. “Those of us trying to maintain some kind of use and navigation are hamstrung by this,” Owen said, “particularly in the back water channels and the tributaries.” Owen likens the situation to that of the Province’s construction of the Coquihalla Highway, with hundreds of miles of highway, and then asking the City of Merritt, with 6,000 people to maintain it, including plowing the snow at many different elevations. “It’s a financial impossibility,” he said, “and on the Fraser River, we are in the same situation — dealing with millions of cubic metres of material annually.” Many of the 14 smaller channels are becoming inundated — no lease, more maintenance costs, hauling and testing sediment, ODP fee, etc., all adds to the challenge. Owen believes that “Those of us past Hope and below the Port Mann Bridge pay the lion’s share of a national program.” Things that compound the sediment volumes include: construction, tide, landslides in the Fraser Canyon, erosion in the Chilcotin and Cariboo, the pine beetle infestation and flooding. Sediment volume has resulted in floating homes that no longer float and barge towing businesses unable to load/unload their barges with sand and gravel because they cannot fit in the dock. Owen highlights that “there is a great difference between naturally occurring sediment which flows down the river, and stuff that is being dug out of a hole somewhere.” River silt is naturally occurring and a testing of the five channels in Delta found no contaminants. Mike wondered why snow isn’t tested for pollutants after snow plowing when it is just as likely to contain contaminants from the streets. Years ago, the City of Delta asked for an economic study to be done when the Ladner Sediment group requested a contribution to dredging funds. The conclusion was that Delta harbour created approximately 500 jobs and $100 million in economic activity. This resulted in some funding from the City of Delta.
Dykes
The Lower Fraser River has a number of dykes adjacent to the river. Global warming and resulting higher tides have meant that upgrades and elevation increases are needed. Ladner, for example needs to come up five feet. The Province has developed standards and instructed municipalities to start fixing the dykes to allow for higher tides as well as strengthening them with seismic upgrades in the event of earthquake. Land built to the 200-year level, will probably be flush with the dyke at the moment. Owen explains that no money has been offered to land owners and that more land will be needed in order to build the new dykes. Delta has about 65 kilometres of dykes and about 30,000 to 40,000 taxpayers. The engineering costs have been estimated at $1.9 billion. Owen asks: “How does that kind of taxpayer base support that kind of revenue?” This presents another pressure for property owners and business owners along the river.
An uncertain future
With uncertain lease renewals, a build-up of sediment and the expense of new dykes, both McCloskey and Owen are concerned about the future of floating homes on the Fraser River. Only time will tell if these issues will spell the end of an iconic feature of the river. One thing is for certain — it will take the cooperative efforts of all stakeholders for a successful resolution. 26 — BC Shipping News — March 2018
MARTIME HUB
VIMC posts impressive results
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s it nears its three-year benchmark, the Vancouver International Maritime Centre has published the full results of its efforts. And it’s quite impressive. Since 2015, Executive Director Kaity Arsoniadis-Stein, Chairman & CEO Graham Clarke led a dedicated team on a global mission that saw contact with over 4,000 maritime professionals, earned media valued at $1.78 million (as of August 2017) and linked over 50 international business prospects to local Canadian companies. The work didn’t stop there — global Memorandums of Understanding with the Dubai Maritime City Authority and the University of the Aegean, local MOUs with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and HQ Vancouver, two immigration studies and the hosting of 30 events promoting Vancouver and Canada’s advantages are just some of the initiatives the VIMC accomplished. And the above accomplishments are even part of their project targets — all of which were exceeded in under three years.
Why a Canadian maritime hub should matter to British Columbians
Vancouver is becoming North America’s West Coast maritime hub. There is no maritime hub on the west coast of North America. Global trade is forecasted to double in 10 years due to the demand for resources by China and India. Also, global trade will shift to the Pacific because of this demand and Vancouver can position itself as North America’s West Coast maritime hub. In an unstable world, Canada performs well as a predictable jurisdiction and a modern democracy that is competitive, flexible and has a strong banking system. A maritime hub goes beyond shipping and port traffic, it is international trade. B.C. is anchored in shipping as Canada is a resource-rich nation dependent on trade, and Vancouver has a growing presence of prominent international shipping companies. There is an opportunity to establish a global business hub in Vancouver with global outreach related to international trade, and capitalizing on an industry beyond our borders.
The creation of a maritime hub will capitalize on the billions Canada has spent and will continue to spend on infrastructure investments, oceans’ plan commitments, Asia Pacific Corridor Initiatives and Canada’s Trade Agreements... Capitalizing on Canada’s investments, growing jobs and promoting business development. The creation of a maritime hub will capitalize on the billions Canada has spent and will continue to spend on infrastructure investments, oceans’ plan commitments, Asia Pacific Corridor Initiatives and Canada’s Trade Agreements such as the CETA, NAFTA, etc. A maritime hub can extensively grow the pool of highskilled, high-value knowledge jobs alongside Canada’s existing export activities, where as a trading nation one in five jobs depends on trade.
Canada’s Opportunity
An international maritime hub attracts maritime business investment and activities beyond Canada’s borders and is directly related to international trade. There is no maritime business hub on the west coast of North or South America, and with globe trade shifting from the Atlantic Basin to the Pacific Basin, Canada can optimize on a tremendous opportunity. Competing maritime hubs and the economic impact. Global maritime centres
aggressively compete to attract shipping companies in order to grow knowledge jobs and services of the corporate activity related to global trade. For every office job created in this sector, there are an additional four to six high-knowledge, high-skill jobs created in the cluster. Shipping companies can be located in any jurisdiction because ships are mobile and not committed to any one location. This is a sector that Canada has not considered and is valued significantly by other nations due to the high-value knowledge jobs attracted and the significant GDP contribution. For example: • Oslo — the most complete shipping hub, GDP contribution: $28.7 billion • Rotterdam — largest EU port and transit area, GDP contribution: $26.3 billion • Singapore — the recognized shipping hub of the east and west, GDP contribution: $21 billion • London — global insurance leader, legal and ship finance hub, GDP contribution: $19 billion • Athens — world’s largest ship owning nation, GDP contribution: $13 billion
March 2018 — BC Shipping News — 27
MARITIME HUB development of that state’s $38-billion maritime industry. On September 8, 2017, Denmark rebranded the Danish Maritime Forum to the Global Maritime Forum and has developed a global strategy to go beyond its borders.
VIMC’s results
Thanks to the VIMC, Vancouver caught the eye of Menon Economics. Vancouver can compete with shipping hubs and maritime business capitals of the world. Ideally located on the Pacific Rim, Vancouver offers a competitive international shipping tax regime that is predictable, stable and safe. Canada has been ranked the best country in the G-20 to do business; leads all G-7 countries regarding economic growth and has the soundest banking system in the world. These fundamental aspects, together
with a predictable political system, universal healthcare, world-class universities, hightech capacity and liveability quotient, allow Vancouver to compete better than ever with the shipping hubs and maritime business capitals of the world. Aggressive global competition. Washington State launched a new Maritime Innovation Advisory Council in Seattle on December 12, 2017, to promote sustainable
In under three years, the VIMC has prospected and secured 13 companies to B.C. with an economic impact of $1.3 billion in five years. VIMC has attracted maritime business investment and activities beyond Canada’s borders and directly related to international trade. The 13 companies that have been attracted to Vancouver have come from Asia, Europe, and Scandinavian countries. In surpassing each project target assigned to it, the VIMC has realized greater gains in benchmarks like the economic impact to British Columbia. While targets called for eight companies to establish operations in Vancouver with an $18-million economic impact, the VIMC attracted 13 companies, conservatively estimating an economic impact closer to $260 million per year with
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See our videos on project cargo and log-lift activities: deepsea.npa.ca [Nanaimo Assembly Wharf]
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• 24/7/365 in-house customer service • Local Canadian based agents and account management a $2.6 billion, five-year cumulative projection when taking into account an additional 13 companies expected to make announcements of their move to Vancouver by this summer. An additional 40 leads continue to be pursued so that number could grow in the years to come. Other targets set through funding agreements and partnerships between the Federal and Provincial Governments as well as the International Ship Owners Alliance of Canada were handily exceeded: Target Actual • 300 foreign companies contacted Over 800 • 300 one-on-one business meetings
Over 700
• 13 trade shows/ conferences attended
Over 230
• 15 international trade missions 26 completed Perhaps the most important accomplishments of the VIMC lie in their efforts to garner worldwide recognition for Vancouver as a viable maritime hub. For the first time, Vancouver was profiled in the Menon List of Leading Maritime Capitals of the World;
Vancouver was also included as one of five leading global maritime hubs to set a benchmark analysis of European Maritime Hubs (EU Shipping Competitiveness Study by Monitor Deloitte). VIMC itself has also been globally acknowledged by one of the world’s most prestigious maritime journals. Shortlisted for Lloyd’s List North America Awards; nominated for Lloyd’s List Global Awards and now, for the 2018 awards, Lloyd’s List has selected Arsoniadis-Stein to serve as judge. Suffice to say that the VIMC has achieved remarkable results. However, for the establishment of a maritime hub that is sustainable, a long-term plan of at least 10 years is required in order to complete with other globally established maritime hubs such as Singapore and Oslo. Despite all of the successes the VIMC has enjoyed over the past three years, uncertainty lingers over continued government funding. Whether governments will recognize the successes and can build on the momentum created through the VIMC remains to be seen.
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TERMINALS
Fibreco’s terminal enhancement project sets course for a long-term future
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big change is coming to Fibreco operations. For over 40 years, the North Shore terminal has exported wood chips and, since 2005, wood pellets. By roughly this time next year, however, agri-food specialty crops from AGT will be moving through a fully modernized, stateof-the-art terminal, replacing the wood chip overseas export business. According to President & CEO Kerry Lige, the Terminal Enhancement Project not only readies the facility to store and ship agriproducts but also improves the terminal’s environmental mission, mitigates impacts on the neighbourhood and, most importantly, assures Fibreco’s long-term sustainability.
Decisions and searches
The saying, ‘when one door closes, another opens,’ was an apt description for Fibreco’s fortunes. “We exited the wood chip export business last year. The last vessel was in March 2017,” said Lige. “Demand for wood chips has continued to decline on the world market and it forced us to ask if this business was sustainable for years to come.” That was the state of the business when Kerry joined Fibreco in 2013. “Along with the decline in demand, there was less and less fibre available in B.C. (due to increased demand in the domestic market and limits on exports set by the Provincial Government) and the margins were continually shrinking. All indicators told us this business was not going to sustain us for the long term.” While the decision to move from wood chips to agri-foods was a difficult one, it was softened by the fact that Fibreco has secured domestic sales contracts to sell the wood chips. “We’re still generating revenue on behalf of our shareholders but now, rather than bring wood chips here by rail, store them and ship them overseas, we’re selling them to the domestic market.” When it was decided that Fibreco would no longer ship wood chips, the question became, then what? Lige and his team began a stage of exhaustive research into many different cargoes and operations that would fit with their current wood pellet business. The answer became clear that 30 — BC Shipping News — March 2018
Photo: BC Shipping News
Fibreco’s President & CEO, Kerry Lige, explains the decision to move from wood chips to agri-food.
...the project not only readies the facility to store and ship agriproducts but also improves the terminal’s environmental mission, mitigates impacts on the neighbourhood and, most importantly, assures Fibreco’s long-term sustainability. the agricultural food industry made the most sense. “We looked at potash, concentrates and many other cargoes, and the one that kept coming back was the grain opportunity,” said Lige. “There are a lot of similarities between a grain commodity and our current wood pellet business, especially cargo handling characteristics. So it became obvious that this was the direction we should be heading.” The next step was to search out potential customers. “We went through an RFP process and searched the entire industry before signing a 20-year agreement with AGT just before Christmas 2017,” said Lige. The agreement gives AGT shipping rights for upwards of two million tonnes annually of select agricultural commodities. “AGT is confident they’ll be able to maximize the volume output fairly quickly,” Lige continued. When asked about the flurry of new grain terminals on the West Coast and whether yet another grain terminal was needed, noted that AGT was the perfect fit for Fibreco and
was reassured by their growth plans. “AGT is an impressive success story,” he said. “Their focus is on specialty grains and, according to Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, bulk shipping infrastructure is needed for this kind of market. We’re not competing with the likes of the G3 Terminal or the expansion at Fraser Surrey Docks where both will be focused on grains and cereals. These are specialty crops and it’s a volume of crop that traditionally isn’t being handled by the bigger players.” With AGT’s focus on peas, lentils, soy beans and the like, Lige believes the niche product fits extremely well with terminal operations, further noting that the similarities to wood pellets mean the two cargoes will be able to share some of the larger pieces of equipment.
New infrastructure
“For us, partnering with AGT addresses the questions we had about modernizing the existing facility,” Lige said. “It means continued well-paying jobs; it’s good for
TERMINALS the industrial use of land for the port; and it allows us to sustain an operation for at least the next 20 years.” Changes to Fibreco will include: • Rail Yard — Switch adjustments and track extensions will allow for the receiving and unloading unit trains. This will also facilitate better movement to and through the rail car dumper. The addition of extra trackage will allow for more on-site rail car storage. Current storage capacity is 90 cars. • Rail Car Dumper — The current dumper will be retrofit with a new gravity hopper and a new railcar dumper building will provide for dust mitigation, control and collection. • Conveying Systems — Covered conveying systems will be installed, with inbound rates at 1,500 tonnes per hour and outbound rates at 2,000 tonnes per hour (includes outbound weighing). • Storage — Construction of 48 3,400tonne capacity silos and eight 1,000tonne capacity silos (all gravity drain), with a capacity of 171,200 tonnes of storage. • Shiploader — Installation of a new travelling shiploader to more efficiently load products, to accommodate Panamax vessels, and to minimize dust emissions. • Site Infrastructure — Upgrades of electrical, water and storm systems.
• Demolition — Removal of ‘woodchip only’ handling equipment (five reclaims, four conveyors) wood retaining walls, roll over dumper and portions of the rail dumper buildings. In addition to automation that will allow Fibreco to cycle full unit trains within a 24-hour period, Lige noted that the project addresses some of the soft handling characteristics that are required for both agri and pellet business. “Our previous infrastructure was built for wood chips, a pretty robust cargo — they’re hard and they don’t break down. Pellets, on the other hand, will break down if you hit them hard enough and will create dust — of course, grain has similar characteristics. So we’re creating softer handling characteristics that won’t break the product down. Traditionally, terminals contain the dust but we’re actually now cutting down on the dust through softer handling and enclosed infrastructure.”
Benefits
Dust mitigation is just one of the benefits the District of North Vancouver and its residents will realize. The capital investment will also lead to: • Sustainability for local businesses and job security for B.C. workers through diversification and reduced reliance on wood products. The enhanced terminal project will provide in excess of 180,000
man hours of construction jobs and 120 long-term, high-paying jobs once construction is complete. • Local economic benefits with a $20 million direct injection to the local economy, and anticipated annual indirect contributions of $60 million annually. • Improved safety for workers and the community with modern, more efficient handling equipment. • Improved air and noise emissions from rail unloading and from other plant operations as well as improved environmental benefits with more efficient power usage and improved storm water management. • A more attractive site with physical improvements and newer equipment set back to best maintain existing viewscapes and reduced light impacts. • National agri-trade benefits with improved customer service through better turnaround times and by providing relief to Canadian agricultural producers and railroads with an additional outlet to export agricultural and food ingredient products to emerging Asia-Pacific markets. Lige also pointed to an improved cleaning process when switching between cargoes. “Before, when we switched products, we would have to wash down the systems with hoses and water and it took a long time. Now, we have a system being designed that
An artist’s rendition of Fibreco after the enhancement project shows new storage silos replacing the old wood chip piles. March 2018 — BC Shipping News — 31
TERMINALS ...worth repeating to highlight, reduced noise and dust, and more efficient handling of cargoes are some of the benefits that are making Fibreco’s neighbours pretty happy. will shorten that process down to mere minutes. Because the conveyor belts are closed, you simply use air to blow out any residual dust and within 10 to 15 minutes, we’ll be able to switch to another commodity.” As noted in the above list, but worth repeating to highlight, reduced noise and dust, and more efficient handling of cargoes are some of the benefits that are making Fibreco’s neighbours pretty happy. “The enclosed infrastructure eliminates a huge amount of dust,” Lige said. “Also, there will be less noise. Historically, we would use large bulldozers with the wood chips — they
had loud back-up alarms so whenever we moved the product around the yard, we’d get complaints from neighbours. Those are going away. “The other thing that will cut down on noise is changing over to unit trains instead of a manifest train type of arrangement. There won’t be that loud banging noise when rail cars were being switched. So we’ll be handling more cars but with less switching.” Indeed, the new configuration of the rail line has garnered the support of CN Railway as well. “There has been a lot of
focus on the North Shore corridor in terms of capacity,” Lige continued. “There were questions about the bridge and the number of trains that can get across, especially given the expansion projects of other facilities, so there was some concern over creating a chokepoint.” However in reality, Fibreco will actually be creating a better system that will improve the fluidity of cars coming in and out of the North Shore for the facility. “Manifest trains require more storage for rail cars but with unit trains, we can bring the full train in and process it within a 24-hour period. It’s much more efficient.”
Permits and timing
As any terminal operator in the Lower Mainland can attest and Fibreco can confirm, obtaining permits for changes can be a lengthy and detailed process. The Fibreco team started in the second half of 2015 with preliminary designs and early discussions with regulators, including the District of North Vancouver for development permits; the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority for water side improvements; and Metro Vancouver for air emissions permit amendments. Permit approval has already been received from the Port and Metro Vancouver. By the time this article goes to print, Lige is hopeful he’ll have the District of North Vancouver’s approval in hand. “We have our board approval (subject to permits), our financing is in the final stages of being put in place, and, assuming the DNV provides a positive approval, we’ll be ready to break ground in March. It should take a full year to complete so we’re looking at about Q2 2019 to be operational.”
Future operations
Once fully operational, Lige expects to see up to 70 ship visits per year with a combination of Handymax and Panamax sizes to accommodate both the two million tonnes of AGT cargo and the estimated one million tonnes of wood pellets. “The pellet business continues to be a good base of business for us,” Lige said. “The beauty of this Terminal Enhancement Project is that it supports the aging infrastructure for the pellet business as well as accommodating the new agri-food business.” To say the least, the new foray into agriculture products bodes well for Fibreco. BCSN 32 — BC Shipping News — March 2018
TRAINING
Full steam ahead By Clayton S. Burry
President, Kongsberg Digital Simulation Ltd., St. John’s, NL, Canada
Kongsberg Digital Simulation user community builds momentum in B.C.
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Fuelled by new terminal developments, a national shipbuilding program and a general increase in the size of ships ... the related demands on bridge and engine room personnel has never been more in focus. a result, marine pilotage and tugging companies have come to rely more heavily on maritime simulation to practise the complex procedures required to ensure safe and efficient transits. With this growth is an increasing demand for physics-based simulation, photo-realistic area databases and the desire to train anywhere, anytime. KONGSBERG has invested heavily in its simulation products, ensuring the growing customer base has the very latest technology available. This article profiles some key elements of the expanding KONGSBERG user community and why the
Photo Credit: LANTEC Marine Inc.
hile the offshore oil and gas industry continues to slowly regain momentum, a very different market dynamic is being seen in other segments of maritime shipping on Canada’s West Coast with simulation training implications for armed services, ferry operations, maritime pilotage, tugboat companies and port operations. Since the mid-1990s, Kongsberg Digital Simulation has played a supporting role in the development of maritime simulation training activities in the region, with applications ranging from thermal power plants and marine engineering to the demands of maritime pilotage, tugging and naval operations. Fuelled by new terminal developments, a national shipbuilding program and a general increase in the size of ships calling on West Coast ports, the related demands on bridge and engine room personnel has never been more in focus. As
Captain Stewart Broderick from SAAM-Smit participates in a recent LANTEC-led simulation training scenario on BCIT’s full mission 360-degree tug supplied by Kongsberg Digital.
quality of maritime simulation products and service has become an integral part of their success. Passing out of English Bay and through First Narrows, a senior British Columbia Coast Pilot takes a sip of his coffee, chatting with the Captain as he checks his Portable Pilotage Unit for the ship’s position, turning his attention to the centre window on the bridge to take his next visual bearing. Leaning out over the conning console and doing a visual sweep for traffic crisscrossing Burrard Inlet, the pilot squeezes his VHF radio set, “Seaspan Raven, inline easy,” “Roger that, stern tug inline easy.” The low rumble of the single screw low speed engine vibrates in surges through the floor of the bulk carrier bridge, lit only by the dimmable displays in the bridge consoles and the slowly passing lights of Coal Harbour to the starboard. “Capilano, inline easy,” orders the pilot, taking another sip of his coffee with his eyes fixed out over the bow of the ship. “Bow tug inline easy.” Neither the fore nor aft tugs are visible from the bridge, but the pilot knows where they are. Use of the centre-lead forward and aft technique has proven to be quite effective for ship escort, and in some situations for vessel docking, particularly in restricted cambers where there is little room for manoeuvring around the ship or terminal dock facilities. It also presents challenges for the tugboat master, who must be careful to stay out of harm’s way, particularly when driving the tug astern while connected to the bow of a ship underway. In another 20 minutes, the ship is safely docked with mooring lines March 2018 — BC Shipping News — 33
Image Credit: Kongsberg Digital Simulation.
SIMULATOR TRAINING
CA-PAC-A1 is Kongsberg Digital’s main area database covering the southern B.C. Coast. attached and the two tugs disconnected and on their way. On any other day, this transit would have started by disembarking from the pilot boat. Today, it began with a Seabus ride to the BCIT Marine Campus in North Vancouver. This entire scenario was conducted on three of BCIT’s nine KONGSBERG ship bridge simulators under the direction of test director and LANTEC Marine’s Captain Garland Hardy. The past three years have seen a surge in team training on the various KONGSBERG simulators in the province. One might be inclined to think demand is up due to an increase in ship traffic, but the numbers do not support that. At the time of writing, and in its most recent annual report, the Pacific Pilotage Authority reported that ship movements actually declined slightly from fiscal year 2014-2016, with annual trips for all commodity sectors on river and coastal routes dropping from 13,264 in 2014 to 12,661 in FY 2016. Interestingly, cruise
ships and petroleum tankers showed some marginal growth in the same period. In fact, one of the key market drivers for the growth in simulation training is that larger ships are calling on B.C. ports. This requires tugs that are more powerful, new escort procedures and lots of practice. Under Canadian law, every foreign ship over 350 gross registered tonnes and every Canadian ship over 10,000 gross registered tonnes is required to utilize marine pilotage services upon entering British Columbia waters. Led by BC Coast Pilots Ltd. and the Pacific Pilotage Authority, a highly effective approach has emerged with pilots and tugboat masters working together on a regular basis to optimize the use of personnel, equipment and tug escort techniques to ensure best practice. Simulation provides a safe and highly representative environment in which to develop, validate and practise tug-assist transits using the best-suited vessels, towing techniques, and communications to ensure
Seaspan Eagle, modelled by Kongsberg Digital, is regularly used in simulation training by the company’s tug masters. 34 — BC Shipping News — March 2018
efficient procedures across all pilots and tug masters, leading to higher quality training, preparation and predictable repeatability. Tug escort is a critical service for the pilots and this has led to an interesting case of “co-opetition,” in the region. For example, key tugging companies such as Seaspan and SAAM SMIT Towage, otherwise competing for the business of escort tugging, can often be found training together with the pilots in the ultimate simulation exercise. The importance of having common procedures, regardless of the tugboat company conducting the escort, has trumped combined pilot-tug master training and led to a very open dialogue that is benefitting the industry. In fact, both Seaspan and SAAM SMIT have invested in new hydrodynamic tugboat models for use in KONGSBERG simulators. The Kongsberg Digital Simulation community in B.C. has grown steadily since the mid-1990s. Key installations have included eight ship bridge simulators for the Royal Canadian Navy at Naval Fleet School Pacific (1997); nine full mission and part-task ship bridge simulators in addition to full mission and desktop engine room simulators at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (1996); three separate bridge simulators at BC Ferries terminals (2011), and most recently, the Pacific Pilotage Authority and British Columbia Coast Pilots Ltd., which purchased a part-task ship bridge simulator in 2014, later upgrading to a full mission trainer in 2016. In total, this represents six separate ship bridge simulator sites with over 20 full mission and part-task bridges. In addition to the main systems customers, a larger user community has sprouted up around the facilities operators, ranging from port authorities to cruise companies to facilities operators and engineering services companies. A key ingredient in growing the community of users has been the ongoing and significant improvements made to the area database for the southern portion of the B.C. Coast, known in the community as CA-PAC-A1 (pronounced “see-ay-pak-ay-won”). This photo-realistic sailing area of the Pacific, approximately 200 nautical miles diagonally from corner to corner, covers the majority of the key ports and shipping routes for southern B.C. Naturally, every user wants his or her terminals, shore side facilities and related cultural objects modelled as they are in real life. Underlying an accurate
SIMULATOR TRAINING Photo credit: Tetra Tech
visual database configuration is the requirement for the latest Canadian Hydrographic Service S-57 chart data with accurate bathymetry. KONGSBERG has shared in the cost of improving CA-PAC-A1 over the past few years, but the expanding user community takes most of the credit. Investments in database improvements and ship manoeuvring studies have been made by a wide range of port authorities, oil companies and terminal operators, each with an interest in maritime simulation and each recognizing the importance of staying connected to pilotage and tug-escort operations. Some of the special interest groups include the Port of Vancouver, the Port of Nanaimo, and terminal operators such as TransMountain, Viterra, Alliance Grain, Fraser-Surrey Docks and Squamish Terminals. But to build and maintain a vibrant user community requires much more than a good area database. It also requires a solid technology base, a dependable and responsive supply chain and the ability to adapt to changing market conditions and technical challenges. KONGSBERG first opened its
Snapshot of predicted tidal bore and eddy flow in Burrard Inlet. Simulating currents at depth has raised the bar in the realism of ship maneuvering through complex flows. doors in Norway in 1814, making it one of the oldest maritime companies in the world. At the beginning of Q4 2017, KONGSBERG employed 6,870 people in more than 25 countries and had installed equipment on more than 18,000 vessels. As a vendor working in the maritime industry for more than a century, and as a pioneer in the maritime
simulation industry since its inception some 45 years ago, KONGSBERG has emerged as a strong value-based company focused on delivering advanced technology solutions for extreme conditions. Its ability to innovate and adapt simulation technologies has become a key factor in KONGSBERG’s success in B.C. Due in no
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March 2018 — BC Shipping News — 35
SIMULATOR TRAINING north, or south, or arriving 15 minutes later at the Narrows can yield appreciable differences in manoeuvring response and vessel safety. At the beginning of 2017, there were some 20 potential LNG projects planned for the B.C. Coast. With a typical development cycle of five years from finance green light to start of operations, it appears certain that a few of these will come to fruition and with them, an increase in LNG tanker traffic. KONGSBERG recognizes the importance of this industry and the high standards of simulation required to support it. But other LNG activities are taking the lead in B.C. BC Ferries and Seaspan have moved forward with new vessels equipped with dual-fuel engines capable of supporting traditional diesel oil fuel and LNG as a fuel. LNG ferries are now in operation in coastal British Columbia, including LNG bunkering facilities currently supported by Fortis. The introduction of new LNG-fuelled vessels has seen the development and introduction of a series of innovative training programs by BC Ferries and Seaspan, covering all personnel on LNG-fuelled vessels. While LNG as a marine fuel is still in its infancy in Canada, it is certain that demand for a wide range of LNG training will continue to grow in 2018 and beyond. Kongsberg Digital has offered LNG engine models for some years based on LNG boil-off fuel systems for LNG tankers. In 2017, the company introduced a new K-Sim Engine model based on a new dualfuel LNG engine from Wärtsilä and based on the system configuration for the Finnish dual-fuel LNG ferry, MV Viking Grace.
Image Credit: Kongsberg Digital Simulation
small part to the fine work of KONGSBERG simulation super user, LANTEC Marine Inc., combined with the local Vancouver office of engineering firm Tetra Tech, solutions using KONGSBERG ship bridge simulator technology have set new standards for accurate modelling of dynamic, multi-layer tidal currents. The highly dynamic and complex nature of tidal stream flow in Burrard Inlet has presented challenges for simulation. In order to create simulated currents that could yield accurate results, sophisticated tidal stream flow models were calibrated to actual Acoustic Doppler Current Profile (ADCP) measurements taken from the surface to depths of up to 20 metres. These models simultaneously simulate both the changes in the height of tide and in the associated horizontal water flow (tidal current) for a period of 24 hours with a grid spacing of 25 metres. The “model days” that were created are representative of the most typical tidal conditions experienced in Burrard Inlet (a mixed diurnal inequality) where the tidal pattern is a large rise, followed by a small drop, followed by a small rise and then a large drop. After filtering irregularities, correlation accuracy between the collected and predicted data is assessed to be in excess of 97 per cent. In the practical context, this means that in the simulator, as in real life, the pilot feels the ship being affected by back eddies and currents that flow in varying directions at the surface versus at deeper depths. With tens of thousands of data points spread across Burrard Inlet, and one-minute time steps, something as simple as shifting the vessel’s transit route a couple of hundred metres to the
SAAM SMIT Towage recently took possession of the model for the SST Capilano, shown here in Vancouver. 36 — BC Shipping News — March 2018
The engine model is designed to operate on existing KONGSBERG K-Sim Engine simulators without any requirements to change hardware. A new full-mission version of the model is now also available, creating an even higher level of realism and can be installed on existing full mission K-Sim Engine Room simulators. KONGSBERG’s reach into engine room simulation also extends to power engineering. Beginning in 2008, KONGSBERG delivered a K-Sim Engine simulator to the College of New Caledonia in Prince George, equipped with a Thermal Power Plant (TPP) model based on a real thermal power plant in Vasteras, Sweden. The main purpose of the TPP is to train and assess operators in the operation of Distributed Control Systems (DCS) and in plant operation, including training in plant start-up and shut-down, emergency situations and safety procedures. The simulated plant is made available to be fuelled with oil or coal. Since our initial delivery, the BCIT Burnaby Campus has also purchased the TPP system and is using it as an important element in its power engineering program. The launch of KONGSBERG’s new digital platform, kognifaiTM is ushering in a new era in maritime simulation and training. kognifaiTM is a set of tools built on modern Cloud technology that makes the development of applications easy and ensures access to realtime data from various sources. For maritime training, it provides an ecosystem that facilitates training anytime and anywhere through subscription to software, exercises and models and enabling the interconnection of simulators and users in co-training scenarios. kognifaiTM, will enable Cloud-based learning solutions for a full range of K-Sim Engine and K-Sim Navigation applications. KONGSBERG continues to invest heavily in its simulation products, ensuring the growing customer base has the very latest technology available. From Victoria to Vancouver to Prince Rupert, the B.C. shipping industry is clearly one of the hot spots in the Americas. KONGSBERG plans to invest even more in this area, supporting existing customers and welcoming new ones. Clayton Burry is President, Kongsberg Digital Simulation Ltd. out of St. John’s, NL, Canada and Vice President, Kongsberg Digital Simulation Inc. operating in the U.S. He can be reached at clayton.burry@kdi. kongsberg.com.
TRAINING
Focus on blended training key for MLS’ success
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ritish Columbia is defined, at least in part, by its connection to the water. From the beginning of time, its people have lived, worked and played along its shores and on its rivers and lakes. It should therefore come as no surprise that B.C. has a thriving maritime industry, and that some of the most important maritime innovations find their roots in B.C. This story profiles one innovative B.C. company that serves customers around the world but, in the words of its founder, “would not exist were it not for the vision and dedication to safety excellence at BC Ferries.” This company is Marine Learning Systems (MLS). MLS is helping to transform how the industry looks at training. It brings a science-based technology-enabled approach to training to achieve improved knowledge and skills, which in turn improves performance and safety. We interview founder and CEO Murray Goldberg to find out about Marine Learning Systems and its B.C. roots. BCSN: First, what is Marine Learning Systems? Tell us what you do. MG: The most direct answer is that at MLS we develop technology to deliver training, to assess knowledge and skills, and to automate training administration and compliance. But we view our job as being different than that. Our “job” is to help the maritime industry achieve better performance and safer operations. Every bit of research and experience about learning models over the last 25 years has proven that the best learning outcomes can only be achieved with properly implemented “blended learning” approaches. Blended learning is simply the act of combining online learning with face-to-face (e.g., classroom-based) training. When done properly, the outcomes in terms of knowledge depth and retention are far better than with either online or face-to-face alone. Better training correlates directly with improved performance and safety — so we view our job as actually helping maritime operators achieve safer and more performant operations. We do this in two ways. First, we provide the enterprise software that enables the implementation of structured, blended learning in the challenging maritime operations context. Second, we provide learning
Because blended learning was essentially new to the industry, no software existed to support its deployment in the unique maritime context. services to ensure that the training program delivered by our technology is sound. BCSN: You say MLS would not exist if it weren’t for BC Ferries. Tell us about that. MG: In 2007, BC Ferries began a transformation to become a world-class safety organization. It is obvious to all in the maritime industry that one of the most important contributors to safety is training. My background is that I was a Computer Science Faculty member at UBC for about 10 years and my research area was online learning and blended learning. My experiments compared the outcomes of different forms of learning. In 1997, I left the university and started a company called WebCT, which provided enterprise e-learning software to universities and colleges. This was at a time when e-learning was exploding around the world, and we ended up with 14 million users in 80 countries. In 2007, when BC Ferries began its safety culture transformation, they engaged me (among others) to propose and conduct a pilot test. The idea was to replace their traditional familiarization training program with an approach that used blended learning. At that time, blended learning was essentially non-existent in the maritime industry, despite the fact that it had become almost ubiquitous in other industries. So BC Ferries was a true leader in examining this approach for our industry. After some planning and implementation, we ran about 12 deckhands through the blended learning pilot. It proved to be a big success. Although only time would tell (and now has told) whether we’d experience performance improvements and accident reduction, at that time what we did know was that the pilot participants felt that the blended program provided better training than traditional methods. Based on that experience, BC Ferries decided to break with tradition and common practice to implement blended learning across the fleet. And to be clear, although they did as much due diligence on the approach as they possibly could have done, blended learning was new to the
Murray Goldberg, founder and CEO, Marine Learning Systems industry. Therefore they were taking a risk — a risk in the name of advancing safety outcomes. Because blended learning was essentially new to the industry, no software existed to support its deployment in the unique maritime context. So BC Ferries asked me to build it for them, which I did. As they say, “the rest is history.” The BC Ferries blended learning program, as part of the larger Sail Safe initiative, proved to be very successful. Since its initial implementation, accidents have dropped 60 – 70 per cent, insurance claims costs have dropped by about 75 per cent, saving millions of dollars a year, and on-time fleet performance has gone up. So BC Ferries’ willingness to lead and take measured risks in order to benefit their workers and passengers paid off really well. A few years after the initial implementation, I began getting queries from other maritime operators to provide the same kind of software to support blended learning for their operations. In response I started the company in 2011. So it is absolutely true that without BC Ferries’ pioneering and March 2018 — BC Shipping News — 37
BLENDED TRAINING
Screen shot from Career Navigator which tracks progress through safety learning modules. innovative effort, MLS would not exist as a company. BCSN: So where are you now? Tell us about your customers. MG: We are based in Vancouver, with our main office on Granville Island. Currently, we have about 35 employees, and to date we have been roughly doubling our customer base every year. We also have a small office in Europe. We have customers in the Americas, Europe and the Western Pacific. We are focused 100 per cent on the maritime community with most of our customers being operators. We also serve training centres, schools, coast guards, etc. So far, we have grown most quickly in the passenger vessel arena. There, our customers include companies such as Washington State Ferries, Staten Island Ferries, Marine Atlantic, Disney Cruise Line, and the 110-vessel fleet of the Carnival Group and their roughly 10 cruise lines. We also have many small and medium-size passenger vessel operators such as Hy-Line Cruises, Catalina Express, Boston Harbor Cruises, the Spirit of Tasmania, the Philippines Fast Cat Ferries, and others. Outside of passenger vessel customers we have workboat customers including Moran Towing, training centres such as the huge CSMART simulation training centre in the Netherlands, shipping players like Roymar / TBS shipping, and others. The most important thing I’d like to say about our customers — and this is something that is exemplified by BC Ferries here at home — is that they truly care about 38 — BC Shipping News — March 2018
safety. And that fact alone makes them wonderful to work with. My day is often filled with customer discussions that ask the question “How can we improve training? How can we make operations safer.” That makes for a really engaging job. BCSN: That sounds exciting. What is coming next for MLS? MG: Almost everything we do is driven by the good ideas our customers have. For example, BC Ferries has been piloting what we call the Career Navigator. This is a tool to track competencies and to nurture and support an operator’s employees through
their career development and progression. The idea for it came from BC Ferries’ Jeff Joyce who was the then Director of Fleet Operations. It has been so well received by our other customers that we will soon be implementing it for many operators. This is another great example of the innovation at BC Ferries benefiting other operators. Another example is our upcoming “Skills Assessor.” This is a system that assesses the performance of teams and individuals when demonstrating skills in scenarios such as drills, bridge simulation exercises, and the routine performance of duties. This idea came from a large cruise customer of ours and, like the Career Navigator, will be implemented by many of our other customers. Finally, on our company roadmap is a safety and performance analytics platform. Once implemented, this platform will provide a place to track and report on performance and safety data. Additionally, it will then use a big-data approach to correlate safety and performance outcomes against inputs such as hiring, training, employee profiles, crew experience, and so on. This will provide an operator and indeed the industry with real data on which they can base their hiring, training and operations decisions. BCSN: Any closing words? MG: My experience in B.C. has been that the industry is highly collegial and collaborative, and that the innovation and attention to operational excellence here is second to none. I feel truly grateful to be a part of the B.C. maritime community.
Screen shots from the Skills Assessor system, soon to be launched for marine industry users.
TRAINING
Camosun Coastal Centre celebrates student success with marine industry training
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ixteen Indigenous students have recently graduated from the Ship Repair Entry Level Training Program (SRELT), a collaborative marine industry training program at the Camosun Coastal Centre on Songhees Nation Territory. Immediately following the completion of the program, over half of the class obtained jobs in shipyards and more have received job offers. The SRELT course was delivered as part of the Aboriginal Marine Training and Employment Partnership (AMTEP), and was run by the Coast Salish Employment and Training Society (CSETS) in partnership with the Aboriginal Community Career Employment Services Society (ACCESS). “The goal of the AMTEP program is to provide Aboriginal people with certified training leading to employment. With the partnerships in place we were able to succeed in meeting the employment goals,” said Reg Gladstone, AMTEP Officer for CSETS. The SRELT program provides industry standard, entry-level training for people to enter careers in the marine industry. Students learn the skills necessary to work in industry, including safety, environmental awareness and problem-solving skills specific to marine sector situations. They also acquire industry-recognized certifications. “This course has given me the tools I need to move forward and build a career in the
“The strong partnership between the Camosun Coastal Centre, CSETS and industry has proven to be invaluable when it comes to training and linking Indigenous students with employment opportunities...” marine industry,” said Tommy Paul, Tsartlip First Nation. “Before this program I didn’t know anything about ships,” says Anter Elliott, Tsawout First Nation. “Now I feel like I’m comfortable in shipyards and I’m excited to work in one.” Hands-on learning and industry immersion were key components of the threemonth training. The program was heavily supported by the local shipbuilding and repair industry. Seaspan’s Victoria Shipyard, the Fleet Maintenance Facility (FMF) Cape Breton, and Point Hope Shipyards all provided a variety of facility tours, guest speakers, work experience and even jobs for graduates. “Through this program I obtained employment at a shipyard,” says Nick Albany, Songhees First Nation. “As soon as I was accepted in the program I did everything I could to succeed. Now I have a career.” “The strong partnership between the Camosun Coastal Centre, CSETS and industry has proven to be invaluable when it comes to training and linking Indigenous students with employment opportunities,” says Michelle Traore, Manager at the Camosun
Coastal Centre. “Students are obtaining lifechanging careers, which is what CCC was built to do.” About the Camosun Coastal Centre The Camosun Coastal Centre is a state-ofthe-art training facility located on Songhees Nation Territory near the Esquimalt Graving Dock. At this satellite site, Camosun College offers both customized and open enrollment coastal and marine-related courses; creates customized programs for Indigenous communities; develops new Continuing Education courses; and offers space rental for local organizations and community groups. About the Coast Salish Employment and Training Society The Coast Salish Employment and Training Society was created in 1997 through an agreement between 19 Coast Salish First Nations and three Aboriginal Friendship Centres, funded by Service Canada ASETS. The purpose of CSETS is to assist the member Nations so that they may gain employment training or attain funding that will allow them to be employable. Employment for our Nations is the main goal for CSETS.
Aboriginal students with Camosun’s Ship Repair Entry Level Training Program received great support from the likes of Seaspan’s Victoria Shipyard, the Fleet Maintenance Facility (FMF) Cape Breton, and Point Hope Shipyards. March 2018 — BC Shipping News — 39
SAFETY
ABS reaches significant safety milestone
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BS, a leading provider of classification and technical services to the marine and offshore industries, reached a significant safety milestone last year. The Houston-based global classification organization completed 2017 without any of its staff having suffered a work-related lost time incident (LTI). In a trade where the work environment can prove challenging — providing on-site technical support at shipyards, on vessels and offshore platforms, for example — ABS says that achieving an LTI rate of zero over the course of a full year has set a new benchmark for keeping its people safe. “Safety is the heart of our mission and remains at the core of all we do, so we are thrilled to realize this exceptional safetyrecord result,” ABS Chairman, President and CEO, Christopher J. Wiernicki said in announcing the milestone. “This achievement adds to our already strong industryrecognized safety leadership. At the same time, we continue to promote safety excellence through ongoing training and process improvements that enable and empower employees to recognize and control hazards in their daily work environment.” An LTI is defined as a work-related injury or illness that results in an employee having to take time off from work due to that injury or illness. Other classifications of incidents that do not require time off from work include restricted duty, medical treatment and first aid. ABS has a global Health and Safety Incident Management system that requires all employees to record unsafe conditions and behaviours, and near-miss incidents or injuries/illnesses. In addition, ABS has added a Stop Work Obligation and other best practices to strengthen the safety culture within the organization. “A world-class safety culture requires attention and consistent actions to drive positive behaviour and change,” said Wiernicki. “Globally, our employees are mission-focused and passionate about being leaders in safety excellence.” While LTI’s are an internal measure, the organization also found itself atop the most recent Port State Control tables compiled by independent maritime authorities. 40 — BC Shipping News — March 2018
According to the most recent full-year data compiled by the three main authorities in Paris, Tokyo and at the U.S. Coast Guard, the ABS-classed fleet of more than 12,000 ships had the fewest detentions for regulatory non-compliance among all classification societies, or ‘Recognized Organizations.’ In general, shipping’s safety record has been trending in the right direction for the past decade. According to Clarksons’ data (Figure 1), the proportion of total losses as a percentage of the fleet has fallen steeply. Serious casualties also have been trending downward, according to the latest data from Informa (Figure 2), and the ABS-classed fleet has performed above average in that regard for the past decade, maintaining its safety leadership role within the industry. Informa defines ‘serious casualties’ as events such as machinery damage, collisions, hull damage, fires, etc., that prevent
or hinder a ship’s ability to deliver its cargo as scheduled. ABS says that its key safety role as the technical connector between owners and regulators will become even more important as shipping transits through the eras of remote-controlled and, eventually, autonomous ships. The progression is destined to give rise to new generations of safety systems, in which cyber and software knowledge will need to partner with traditional systems Christopher J. Wiernicki, for structures ABS Chairman, President and CEO and machinery.
Figure 1 — Shipping’s safety record continues to see improvement.
Serious casualties have also been trending downward.
SAFETY
Safety is all about culture — that culture just isn’t everywhere By Jaya Prakash
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While safety has been a mainstay of the maritime world’s credo, it has rarely been advocated with the zeal it should have. As the vessel burned for a full two weeks, so did the questions that fuelled a burning rage which invariably came to haunt the many who were caught completely helpless and hopeless at the task before them. The Sanchi is gone and entombed in its watery grave — not because there was no will to pull off a rescue but the very means of preventing the disaster were noticeably absent. So lives were lost. While safety has been a mainstay of the maritime world’s credo, it has rarely been advocated with the zeal it should have. Instead, it has too often been traded for commercial expediency. From the wanton sinking of Filipino ferries to mishaps along the narrow Malacca Straits, to accidents in Indonesian waters, safety (or, at least, the active promotion of a safety culture) has never quite been mused about as the Holy Grail to be pursued with religious-like fervour.
Source: Businessinsider.com / Chinese Ministry of Transport via AP
or years, Singapore authorities have extolled the values of safety at sea. Yet what has never failed to amaze is that the most crucial virtue underpinning sea operations is, ironically, the least visible. When the Sanchi, an Iranian tanker belonging to the National Iranian Oil Company, sailed past the Chinese coastal city of Shanghai in early January of this year, en route to Korea to drop off its cargo of ultra-light condensate fuel oil, nobody expected the resulting bonfire of disastrous proportions. Its collision with the CF Crystal was horrendous. It not only grabbed headline news for a week but the colossal, indiscriminate loss of lives and environmental disaster would leave tongues wagging as to why the disaster could not have been prevented. Why weren’t Chinese coast guard officials able to warn and navigate vessels away from one another? Whatever happened to navigational signals on shore — were they serviceable, failed an audit test, or malfunctioning? Why weren’t the crew of the illfated tanker able to reach the engine room where at least some lives or maybe all lives could have been saved?
Firefighting boats try to put out a blaze on the Sanchi on January 10, 2018.
“There is a lack of a strong safety culture within the [shipping] sector,” said Captain Raymond Ambrose, president of the Singapore Nautical Institute, to the country’s largest circulating broadsheet, The Straits Times. “The big problem is that the top management in some shipping firms ... view safety initiatives and programmes as a cost they do not wish to incur. This mindset has to change if we want to reduce incidents at sea.” An even more frightening thought is that safety’s overarching priorities are usually given to ship captains whose only writ it seems is nothing more than the experience they have piloting vessels. Unlike aviation, where air traffic controllers decide on the altitude of an aircraft or the distance between planes in crowded skies, the maritime world does not have an equivalent regime.
Unchecked problems and unchecked worries
An even greater worry in South-East Asia is the narrow Malacca Straits, described by the International Energy Agency (IEA) as a strategic chokepoint that, along with the Straits of Hormuz, is where ships have been advised to navigate with extreme care. And when an accident happened last August between a U.S. warship and an oil tanker in the Malacca Straits, resulting in the loss of 10 U.S. sailors, the chickens finally came home to roost and what has long been ignored could no longer be unheeded. As matters stand, there is only one way shipping traffic will head in the years ahead — upwards. Not only will there be more ships but also bigger ones — so big that it may be impossible for two behemoths to traverse the same strait at the same time, illuminating a problem that has long remained hidden. March 2018 — BC Shipping News — 41
SAFETY In the words of Dr. Colin Koh, a research fellow at the Maritime Security Programme of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, labelling the Singapore Strait as busy is an understatement. “It’s not just dense traffic, but we are looking at numerous vessels of wildly varying sizes plying the same narrow water space,” he pointed out. Navigating the lane becomes even more challenging when visibility is low, for at the narrowest strip, ships are sometimes only separated by just under one nautical mile (about 1.85 kilometres). For years, maritime authorities in SouthEast Asia have wrung their hands in despair at the languid and glacial progress in promoting a safety culture on board ships, coupled with concomitant training to instil a culture promoting safety in all but name.
Little care for ship seaworthiness
Findings into maritime accidents are seldom made public or simply not at all. And even so, just how just much safety can be toyed with, according to Divay Goel, head of Investments, Prudent Shipping Investments, lies in extraneous factors like human error; mechanical and technical error; the competency of the crew; and last but not least, the age of the ship itself (in the case of the Sanchi, it was only a mere 10 years old at the time of the incident in January). It is perhaps with all those in mind and in tow that the Korean Register makes it a point to have its vessels run with a fine-tooth comb and where auditing and inspections are carried out before ship embarkation actually begins, said Kim Song Chol, Regional Director of Korea Register in Singapore. And all embarkation procedures, he noted, are in line with IMO regulations, STCW and IACS. “Malaysia puts a great emphasis on shipping safety,” said maritime analyst, Nazery Khalid. And that is nothing more than for the fact that an estimated 95 per cent of its international trade and key economic activities include the oil and gas sector. This is over and above the fact that it is surrounded by two of the world’s busiest and most strategic sea lanes — the Malacca Straits and South China Sea. Khalid adds that Malaysia’s lead agency in charge of shipping security is the Marine Department Malaysia and under its writ it puts in place and implements systems on the safety of navigation and shipping safety 42 — BC Shipping News — March 2018
to ensure shipping activities in Malaysian waters are carried out in a safe manner. Malaysia also has the Vessel Traffic Management System in the Malacca Straits to ensure the busy waterway is safe; an oil spill response regime to ensure the sea lanes are clean; and requirements for oil tankers and bulk carriers 20 years and older to be surveyed by the Marine Department’s surveyors prior to the issuance of a Provisional Certificate of Registry. In addition, Malaysia ensures ship certification — including statutory certification, classification and the ISM Code auditing — are strictly adhered to. As vessels grow larger and more sophisticated, there is a need to nurture seafarers who are equipped with the skills and temperament to handle these big ships in a safe manner to ensure that there is no incident involving them in Malaysian waters. Malaysia’s neighbour, Singapore ensures that vessels, as mandated by international law, are equipped with radar and other monitoring devices to manage busy waters with state-of-the-art technology and systems. But just what is a safety culture is best encapsulated by a system of beliefs, practices and habits that cannot be legislated away or enshrined in a tight system of rules and regulations. Fostering a good safety culture is no mean feat by any reckoning and is only as good as being accomplished by the very people promoting it. More often than not, owners and managers are blind to — or perhaps choose to ignore — inherent problems within their own corporate safety culture, said Steve Clinch, Chief Inspector of marine accidents for the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), in a presentation to the UK Chamber of Shipping’s recent Safety Culture at Sea event in 2017. For instance, many companies say they have “robust” policies towards drink and drugs in the workplace but accidents continue to happen due to alcohol and substance abuse. And that is only because, as the Sanchi debacle proved and what Captain Ambrose himself made a point of underscoring, a mindset change is needed. That has just not happened yet and questions remain if it may happen anytime soon. Jaya Prakash is a Singapore-based maritime journalist and can be reached at prakruby@hotmail.com.
TUG SAFETY RALamander into the fire
Robert Allan Ltd. and Kongsberg Maritime announce remotely operated fireboats for ports
T
o address the evolving safety and security needs of modern ports, Vancouver based naval architects and marine engineers Robert Allan Ltd., and international marine technology specialist Kongsberg Maritime are collaborating on the development of a radically new remotely operated fireboat that will allow first responders to attack dangerous port fires more aggressively and safer than ever before. The un-crewed RALamander fireboat will offer in-close firefighting and ‘eye in the fire’ capability that keeps marine firefighting professionals out of harm’s way. Fires involving containers, petrochemicals, shore-side structures or vessels can be attacked more quickly in situations where toxic smoke or explosion risk may delay or even prevent manned assets from responding effectively. RALamander can serve as a force multiplier with conventional firefighting assets, or be deployed on its own. The Kongsberg Maritime control & communications system will feature a robust high-bandwidth, low latency wireless link to a semi-portable RALamander operator console that can be located on a manned fireboat, or other vessel of opportunity such as a tug or pilot boat. In common with other Kongsberg autonomous control systems, the versatile
architecture of RALamander’s control system will leave the door open to a range of autonomy levels, which are configurable or future-upgradable to suit the operator or port’s evolving needs. The first in the series, the 20-metre RALamander 2000, will be equipped with Fi Fi 1 capability with a total pumping capacity of 2400 m3/hr with optional foam. A retractable mast can bring one of the three monitors to a high point of attack for shipboard or dock fires. A range of auto functions is planned for firefighting, including dynamic positioning, water spray target holding, and ‘line protection’ where RALamander automatically moves back and forth along a line while directing protective spray cover on shore structures or vessels threatened by a fire. A low-profile design also makes it possible to attack under-wharf and marina fires remotely. If a burning vessel poses a threat to its surroundings, RALamander can be used to tow it a safe distance by means of its Grapnel Emergency Towing (GET) system.
RALamander’s versatility may also offer new ways to maintain and operate a port firefighting asset. Since RALamander can be operated from a safe stand-off distance during an incident, commercial entities such as tug or pilot boat operators may be in a better position to offer fire protection services to a port since personnel are less exposed to risks. Drawing together Robert Allan Ltd.’s extensive fireboat design experience and Kongsberg Maritime’s world-leading expertise in control, communications and sensing in marine applications, RALamander 2000 represents a significant step-change and improvement in port firefighting capability and safety. With maximum flexibility built into the design from the start, the RALamander series will offer all the advantages of remotely-operated fire response in a customisable system to suit a port’s needs for capability and cost. For more information on the RALamander, please email design@ral.ca.
March 2018 — BC Shipping News — 43
EVENTS Mari-Tech 2018
Honing the Leading Edge
H
one (/hon/); verb: to make more acute, intense, or effective. Emerging technologies are maturing, with operators learning from varied experience. Manufacturers and regulators are receiving feedback from end-users. It is the effect operational experience is having on emerging technology that MT18 in Victoria will explore. The Vancouver Island Branch of the Canadian Institute of Marine Engineering (CIMarE) will be hosting Canada’s Marine Exhibition and Conference Mari-Tech from April 18 to 20, 2018, at the Victoria Conference Centre on the grounds of the Empress Hotel. The title for Mari-Tech 2018 is “Honing the Leading Edge” with a focus on marine engineering challenges of the near future. This will likely be the largest marine exhibition and conference ever to take place in Victoria and will provide great opportunities for industry and government interaction.
Mari-Tech is the annual conference of CIMarE. Held annually since 1976, this premier, national event is the only one of its kind in Canada. It is a great opportunity to learn about the latest developments, investigate the most modern technologies, and network among highly talented peers. Mar-Tech 2018 will offer a rich agenda of relevant technical presentations, a bustling exhibition hall, nourishing activities and ample opportunities for networking. Canadian Naval, Government and commercial fleets are in the advance stages of a massive fleet revitalization, presenting challenges and opportunities for Marine Professionals involved in the design, building, maintenance and operation of large ships and other marine vessels. These Marine Professionals and many others associated with the burgeoning marine industry will benefit significantly from this important annual gathering of expertise.
Industry sponsors of the conference are Babcock, Wärtsilä, Schneider Electric, Ocean Pacific Marine Store & Boatyard and Point Hope Maritime. Media sponsors include BC Shipping News, Western Mariner, Professional Mariner and Martin’s Marine Engineering Page. All marine industry principals, engineers, operators and associated interested companies and individuals are strongly encouraged to visit our Mari-Tech 2018 website to register for the event, choose an exhibition table or booth and take advantage of sponsoring opportunities. Visit http://www.mt18.ca/ to discover all options available and to register for activities. At the accompanying trade show, attendees can expect to see products and services from Viega, Konsberg, Volkan, Anglo Belgian Corporation, Metal Craft Marine, Point Hope Maritime, Jastram Technologies, Canal, Schottel, Survitec,
Proud to Serve the Bc maritime induStry.
SPecializing
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Steering SyStemS and SPare PartS.
Top: Niel Johnson, Operations Manager, and Alin Antonescu, Production Supervisor of Jastram.
Setting
44 — BC Shipping News — March 2018
the Standard in Steering excellence. www.jaStram.com
EVENTS Oceanic, Allswater, Fleetway, Apacy, Bestobell AquaTronix, Babcock Canada, Anixter, Innovmarine, Wartsila, SDT Solutions, OpDAQ, Fiberglass Solutions, BC Shipping News, Dynamic Systems Analysis, Glamox, IEM Marine, Karl Stenner LLC, Prime Mover Controls, Thordon Bearings, Victaulic, Western Mariner, Ocean and Belzona Molecular. On the day before Mari-Tech commences, Public Services and Procurement Canada will be holding a National Marine Procurement Outlook session in Victoria, emphasizing the importance and significance of Mari-Tech 2018. There will also be two optional workshops taking place on Wednesday April 18: DSA Ltd. will be putting on a Proteus Workshop; and, HydroComp will be offering a “Propeller School.” Already scheduled is a keynote presentation from Mark Collins, President and CEO of BC Ferries. A second keynote speaker, a senior official from the Canadian Coast Guard, is being arranged as this article is being written. Meals during the conference will be catered by the Empress Hotel and there will be two evening social events which will present excellent opportunities for informal networking and relationship building. A pre-conference mixer will be held at the Sticky Wicket Pub in the Strathcona Hotel. An optional evening event at the Royal British Columbia Museum will feature a stroll through the exhibits with themed food throughout the passage amongst the fascinating maritime exhibits. The conference is being managed by a very experienced committee from the Vancouver Island branch of CIMarE in conjunction with the professional conference facilitation firm, Podium Conference
Services. At the time of writing, some details of Mari-Tech 2018 are still being formalized but by the time of publication, all the particulars including the complete schedule, presentations, list of exhibitors and activities is expected to be available on the Mari-Tech 18 website http://www.mt18.ca/. You do not want to miss Mari-Tech 2018. If you have not already done so, you can register online but please, do not wait as seating will be limited. If you are coming from outside the lower Vancouver Island region, please check for accommodation with Mari-Tech partner hotels, DoubleTree by Hilton, and the Marriott Victoria Inner Harbour.
JONES MARINE GROUP LTD. General Marine Towing and Ship Berthing
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PROVIDING TUG SERVICE TO THE PORT OF NANAIMO AND MID-ISLAND FOR OVER 50 YEARS Tel: 250-246-1100 Vancouver direct line: 604-669-3900 / dispatch@jmstugs.com March 2018 — BC Shipping News — 45
LEGAL AFFAIRS
Safety Management Systems for small tugs in Canada By David S. Jarrett
A Vancouver Lawyer with Bernard LLP
I
n keeping with the safety and training theme and its special focus on the Fraser River in this month’s edition of BC Shipping News, this article will discuss the Transportation Safety Board of Canada’s (TSB) position on the implementation of Safety Management Systems (SMS) and inspections for tugs under 15 gross tonnage (GT). The TSB’s position was illustrated in a recently released TSB Marine Investigation Report relating to a tug fire and crew abandonment incident on the Fraser River in 2016.
Overview of SMS
Generally, SMS is a set of documents that are prepared by vessel owners with and for their masters and crew regarding safe vessel operation. As discussed below, SMS has been in use for deep sea vessels for some time. However, SMS use in smaller Canadian vessels [and sometimes referred to as Domestic Safety Management (DSM)], such as tugs under 15 GT is not required by Canadian law. SMS is designed to be a comprehensive system to manage vessel safety and includes information, policies and procedures relating to the following:
Positions available in 2018:
- Able Seamen - Electricians - Carpenter - Deck Hands - Engine Hands - Engineering Administrator - 4th Engineer
46 — BC Shipping News — March 2018
The TSB’s position was illustrated in a recently released TSB Marine Investigation Report relating to a tug fire and crew abandonment incident... • • • • • • • • •
Day-to-day vessel operation; Vessel details; Work performed by the vessel and how; Hazard identification; Risk assessment and management; Emergency procedures; Drills; Crew training; and Record keeping regarding things like incidents, drills and training. In general, SMS is currently required for the following types of vessels: passenger ships, tankers, bulk carriers, gas carriers, chemical tankers, oil tankers and other cargo ships, all 500 GT and above, operating on international voyages or in international waters. SMS is mandatory pursuant to the International Safety Management Code, an international convention that is in force in Canada. Canadian law does not require tugs less than 15 GT to operate under an SMS or to be inspected by Transport Canada.
Notwithstanding that, such vessels must be compliant with vessel operation and construction regulations made pursuant to the Canada Shipping Act, 2001. Although Transport Canada Marine inspectors, and not TSB officers, can conduct inspections to confirm compliance with those regulations, not all vessels are inspected. Transport Canada targeted small tugs on the West Coast for increased inspection in early 2017. The regulatory standards for initial installation and maintenance of machinery on tugs under 15 GT are not as detailed as the standards for larger vessels and a vessel’s owner or operator is not required to notify Transport Canada of installation or repair work that is not a major modification or repair (i.e., that does not affect water tight integrity or stability or does not substantially change the capacity or size of the vessel).
TSB position on SMS in tugs under 15 GT
The TSB is an independent federal government agency whose purpose is to improve safety in the marine, pipeline, air and rail transportation sectors. Among other things, the TSB conducts investigations into marine occurrences such as groundings, collisions, fires, injury events, and reports on findings as to causes and contributing factors of the same. It does not determine civil or criminal liability for an occurrence. In addition to its investigative capacity, the TSB monitors safety trends and makes recommendations to improve safety. The TSB publishes reports relating to its marine investigations on its website (www. tsb.gc.ca/eng/marine/index.asp). Generally, these reports describe particulars of the vessel and the occurrence, company operations, damages sustained in the occurrence, the
LEGAL AFFAIRS applicable regulatory regime, analysis as to cause, findings as to causes and contributing factors, and suggested safety action. TSB has placed the issue of SMS and its advantages on its “Watchlist” since 2010. Items on the TSB Watchlist are those that the TSB flagged as key safety issues. Unlike Canada, the United States recently passed regulations that set out new compliance requirements relating to inspection and SMS for all U.S. towing vessels over 26 feet. These regulations also apply to tugs under 26 feet that are moving oil or bulk hazardous material. This was apparently in response to the fact that 67 per cent of collisions, allisions and groundings involve towing vessels (TSB Marine Investigation Report M16P0241, at footnote 9). Although it is unclear as to whether that statistic was based on U.S. or Canadian data, presumably the TSB is concerned that smaller tugs may be flying under the compliance and inspection radar, and therefore involved in more incidents. Although no regulations are in place in Canada, Transport Canada is currently considering revising compliance programs for tugs of less than 15 GT but no specific dates have been announced for the proposed revisions as of yet. A review of TSB’s published Marine Investigation Reports from the last few years shows that the TSB continues to suggest that all commercial marine operators, presumably including those operating vessels under 15 GT, have proper and robust SMS programs in place that are followed and adhered to following implementation. TSB’s Marine Investigation Report M16P0241, released on September 12, 2017, dealt with a fire and abandonment of a tug on the Fraser River in 2016 (the “Report”). This is the most recent report relating to a tug incident that is available on the TSB website. It sets out TSB’s current view on the issue of increased regulatory oversight for tugs under 15 GT, including its position in favour of SMS. The incident involved a tug towing log booms up the Fraser River. During the voyage, leaking diesel caused a fire in the engine room that was subsequently extinguished. The crew had to abandon the vessel but apparently there were no injuries. Although the tug’s manager had a voluntary SMS in place, the Report noted jammed covers for exhaust trunking, an engine room exhaust vent that could not be sealed and heat detectors that had not been tested. In addition, the Report noted that modifications had been made to the vessel prior to the incident, including installation of a new generator and fittings that had not been inspected or certified by Transport Canada or a classification society/manufacturer’s representative. The Report found that the fire was caused by the parting of the fuel line tubing that sprayed diesel fuel onto the vessel’s generator. In addition, there were other equipment issues relating to fuel shut-off valves and the failure of the master and crew to conduct emergency fire drills on a regular basis as set out in the SMS Manual. The Report also noted that the potential issues with the fuel lines were not discovered by the manager’s voluntary SMS program prior to the fire. The Report set out the following findings as to risk (page 17): • If components for emergency equipment and machinery are installed or replaced by personnel without adequate guidance or knowledge of industry standards, and such equipment is subsequently put into service without being inspected by a competent person, there is a risk that the installation will be unsafe. • If adequate regulatory oversight is not applied to tugs of less than 15 gross tonnage, instances of unsafe equipment and operating
Unlike Canada, the U.S. recently passed regulations that set out new compliance requirements relating to inspection and SMS for all U.S. towing vessels over 26 feet. conditions may continue to occur, putting people, assets, and the environment at risk. • If emergency drills are not routinely practised or evaluated, there is a risk that inadequacies with emergency equipment will go unnoticed, and that crew will be unprepared in an emergency. From reading the Report and earlier TSB reports, the TSB clearly feels that the current regulatory regime for tugs under 15 GT can, and should, be improved.
Conclusion
In light of the recent American legislative changes and the TSB’s frequently stated position that SMS and inspections can effectively manage risk and make marine transportation safer, including having the issue of SMS on its Watchlist, it is likely that both the TSB and Transport Canada will continue to suggest that Canada adopt a similar regulatory regime that allows for a more robust inspection and compliance regime for tugs under 15 GT. David S. Jarrett is a Maritime Lawyer and Partner at Bernard LLP and can be reached at jarrett@bernardllp.ca.
SYLTE SHIPYARD LTD.
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20076 WHARF STREET MAPLE RIDGE, B.C. V2X 1A1
PH. (604)465-5525 FAX: (604)465-3060 EMAIL: sylte@telus.net
March 2018 — BC Shipping News — 47
SEA STORIES
Log transportation on Arrow Lakes By Captain Don Rose
T
he Upper and Lower Arrow Lakes are a widening of the Columbia River situated between the Selkirk Mountains to the east and the Monashee Mountains to the west. The Columbia River flows into the north end of the lakes and discharges at the south end.
Before completion of the Hugh Keenleyside Dam
Twelve kilometres (or 6.48 nautical miles) upstream from Castlegar, there were 19 tugs working on the Arrow Lakes. Originally, there were two lakes — 22.53km (or 12.16nm) apart — joined by a narrow stretch of water known as the Narrows. Loose logs and bundles were placed on the Columbia River shores up to 128.75km (69.52nm) north of Revelstoke. When high water freshet came, the logs and bundles were floated south to Arrow Head (position 1 on the accompanying map). This was known as the Columbia River Drive. At Arrow Head, the north end of Upper Arrow Lake, a catch boom collected the logs and bundles. Everything that came down river was collected in bags and secured to dolphins in Galena Bay. At Galena Bay the bundles were sorted by species into rafts of 30 bundles each. The loose logs were moved to a bundler where they were also sorted by species and bundled. After being bundled, they were also sorted by species into rafts of 30 bundles each. Two tugs, one on each side of the raft, would push towards each other to make the rafts as close to rectangular as possible. When this was accomplished, a swifter wire was run across the raft to hold its shape. Each raft was then identified with a number board. The main line tug would pick up two or three rafts at Beaton and then pick up two or three more at Galena Bay. The tug would also pick up more rafts along the way at other log dumps until they had a full tow. 48 — BC Shipping News — March 2018
This was towed to Saddle Bay where the tow was secured. From Saddle Bay, a maximum of three rafts at a time were towed through the Narrows during times of high water. From there, they were towed through Burton Narrows, two rafts at a time during times of high water. The water levels varied between 1.5 to 3.05 metres (five to 10 feet) depending on the snow pack. At times, one could see the water dropping 0.3 metres (one foot) through Burton Narrows. From the start of Burton Narrows to around the east side of Burton Bar and Mount Lenard is approximately 0.8km (0.43nm). This is the north end of Lower Arrow Lake. At this point, the rafts were secured to a tie up known as the Rock Slide. At the Rock Slide, the main line tug would make up a tow with a destination of Castlegar. At times, rafts would be picked up at other log dumps along the Lower Arrow Lake. On average, the tug would arrive at Castlegar with up to sixteen rafts of thirty bundles each. At Castlegar, tugs would take one or two rafts at a time to either the Saw Mill or Pulp Mill. The end product was delivered to customers via Rail or Trucks. At times during the winter the lakes were subject to freezing over with ice which slowed the movement of log rafts.
Presently, the tug starts picking up rafts of about 50 bundles per raft at Shelter Bay. The majority of the rafts use boom sticks to corral the bundles however, there are a few that are corralled with lacing wire. There are about six log dumps along the Upper and Lower Arrow Lakes where rafts are picked up, the last one is at Needles on the Lower Arrow Lake. Final destination for the main line tug and its tow is McCormick. At McCormick, the rafts are towed, two at a time, to lockage pens where they are made
After completion of the Hugh Keenleyside Dam
The dam was completed in 1967 and the water started to rise in 1968. The water level in the Arrow Lakes rose approximately 21.3m (70ft). At present, the water level on the Arrow Lakes can vary up to approximately 16.8m (55ft) depending on the amount of water released at the dam. At the time of writing, there were nine tugs working on the Arrow Lakes. Previously there were three main line tugs, now there is only one. The Columbia River Log Drive was eliminated by the completion of the Hugh Keenleyside Dam.
The Upper and Lower Arrow Lakes
SEA STORIES up into rectangular rafts, three bundles wide by five long. The rectangular rafts are moved into the lock at the Hugh Keenleyside Dam. During July 2017, I had the opportunity to go up into the tower at the Hugh Keenleyside Dam where the gates and water level in the lock is controlled. Derek Berisoff was the operator and our host who gave an excellent description of the operation. Derek informed me that the Arrow Lake water level at that time was 16.8m (55ft) higher than the Columbia River. When the water level in the lock is equal to the Arrow Lakes, the lake end gate is opened and the log raft is guided into the lock. From time to time the lock is operated for other marine traffic between the Arrow Lakes and Columbia River. Water in the lock is now being discharged into the Columbia River. When the level in the lock is equal to the river, the gate at the Columbia River end will be opened and a tug will tow the raft out of the lock. Water levels in the lock are controlled by opening and closing valves and the force of gravity to either raise or lower the level. After leaving the lock, the raft is delivered to either the sawmill or the pulp mill. The boom sticks that come with the raft to McCormick are secured at the boom stick tie up. The main line tug will, on a north-bound trip, take the boom sticks in tow and deliver where required at log dumps. There, they will be recycled to make up rafts for another south-bound tow. A trip towing log rafts from Shelter Bay in the north to McCormick in the south averages nine to 10 days depending on weather and water levels.
Since the completion of the dam, which has slowed the flow of water in the lakes, they are now more subject to freezing. This depends on the temperatures during the winter months. There have been times when marine navigation on the lake has been stopped due to ice. Special thanks to Captain Ken Poznikoff who supplied the majority of information for this article. Captain Don Rose has over 50 years of experience in the towing industry, starting as cook-deckhand and working his way up to master. Currently, he operates Capt. Rose Marine Consulting & Surveys Ltd.
Arrow Lakes end of lock gate closed.
Raft completely in the lock.
The water level in the lock is now equal to the level of the Columbia River. This gate will now be opened. March 2018 — BC Shipping News — 49
ADVERTISERS
Photo: Dave Roels
Bernard LLP..............................................................................................................26 Bracewell Marine Group............................................................................................15 Canadian Lifeboat Institution......................................................................................50 Chamber of Shipping.................................................................................................24 Envirosystems..........................................................................................................10 Firstwatch / Western Marine Company......................................................................16 Fraser River Pile & Dredge............................................................................................. 21 Greenwood Maritime Solutions...................................................................................... 10 GreenTech 2018.......................................................................................................IBC Harken Towing..........................................................................................................22 Int’l Sailors’ Society Canada......................................................................................50 ISS GMT - Global Marine Travel.................................................................................29 Jastram Engineering Ltd............................................................................................44 John Horton, Marine Artist........................................................................................19 Jones Marine Group..................................................................................................45 Lonnie Wishart Photography.....................................................................................50 Mari-Tech 2018........................................................................................................ BC Maritime Museum of BC............................................................................................45 Mercy Ships..............................................................................................................46 Mission to Seafarers.................................................................................................50 Nanaimo Port Authority.............................................................................................28 Osborne Propellers....................................................................................................10 Robert Allan Ltd........................................................................................................35 Samson Tugboats.....................................................................................................11 Seaspan Ferries........................................................................................................22 Shipping Federation of Canada....................................................................................9 Stewart World Port.....................................................................................................8 Survitec Group..........................................................................................................13 Sylte Shipyard...........................................................................................................47 Tactical Marine Solutions Ltd.....................................................................................42 Toplift North America................................................................................................23 Vancouver International Maritime Centre......................................................................3 Vancouver Maritime Museum — Evening at the Museum..........................................IFC Vancouver Maritime Museum — Into the Arctic Exhibit................................................4 Western Canada Marine Response Corporation..........................................................32 Western Maritime Institute...........................................................................................7
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2 01 8 ENVIRONMENTAL CONFERENCE May 30 – June 1, 2018 — Vancouver, C.B.
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TECHNICAL CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION FOR MARINE PROFESSIONALS
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Pre-conference workshops available
April 18-20, 2018 Victoria Conference Centre, Victoria, BC
Keynote Speaker Mark Collins President and CEO of BC Ferries Early Bird registration deadline February 18
Join us on Wednesday, April 18 for the PSPC Marine Procurement Outlook session Hosted by
Public Services and Procurement Canada Platinum sponsor
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Regular registration deadline March 18 Register at www.mt18.ca
Presented by the Vancouver Island Branch Canadian Institute of Marine Engineering