Canada Transportation Act: Just another review?
Shipbuilding: Meridian Marine proves it can
Lifeboats: Update on the Steveston Lifeboat
BC SHIPPING Commercial Marine News for Canada’s West Coast.
Volume 6 Issue 4
NEWS
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May 2016
Industry Insight Robert Lewis-Manning Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia
Tankers
Tanker tidbits
LNG
Aussies show the LNG way amid tough markets MAY
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New Transiting Operations in the Baynes Sound Channel With BC Ferries’ cable ferry now in service, there are new transit light operations in the Baynes Sound Channel. The transit lights inform boaters when the Baynes Sound Connector is in transit and when it is safe to cross the channel. Safety is BC Ferries’ first priority, so we urge all marine traffic either operating or transiting in the area to be aware of these changes, as well as the Navigation Act’s Ferry Cable Regulations*.
New transit light operations** A set of red and green transit lights have been installed at both Buckley Bay and Denman West terminals to indicate when the Baynes Sound Connector is in transit.
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Transit Light Locations Route 21, Denman West – Buckley Bay
Pemberton
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R
IS
Cortes Island
Quadra Island
N is securely When the lights are green, this means the cable ferry C docked at either terminal and it is clear for boaters to O cross U V the channel. E
Campbell River
Powell River
19A
19
LA
Comox
D Buckley Bay
19 Port Alberni
4
Earls Cove
101
Denman Island
Langdale Bowen Island
Hornby 19A Island
Horseshoe Bay
Vancouver
19A
4 19
Ucluelet
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Saltery Bay Texada Island
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Denman Island
Buckley Bay
Tsawwassen
Departure Bay
Nanaimo
Duke Point
Chemainus
Southern Gulf Islands
1 Mill Bay Port Renfrew
CANADA U.S.A. Bellingham
Swartz Bay
Brentwood Bay
14 Sooke
Victoria
Buckley Bay Terminal When the lights are red, do not cross the channel. This indicates that the cable ferry is in transit, and the cables may not be fully submerged underwater.
For more information pertaining to the Baynes Sound Connector (including new transiting information), visit bcferries.com or call 1-888 BC FERRY (223-3779). For more information surrounding Ferry Cable Regulations and/or the Navigation Protection Act, visit justice.gc.ca.
Denman West Terminal *SOR/86-1026 - No person in charge of a vessel shall navigate the vessel across a ferry cable when the red lights are illuminated at the on-shore terminal ends of the ferry cable. **Exact location and angle of Transit Lights may differ from illustrations. This is for informational purposes only.
May 2016 BC Shipping News 3
GREENTECH 2016 MAPPING THE FUTURE OF SUSTAINABLE SHIPPING QUEBEC CITY MAY 30 — JUNE 1 INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION www.green-marine.org/greentech
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4 BC Shipping News May 2016
BC SHIPPING
Contents
NEWS
24
Cover Story
May 2016 Volume 6 Issue 4
40 Shipbuilding
Meridian Marine proves itself with floating power plant
42
Marine engineers
Ken Harford retires from Robert Allan Ltd.
43 Tugs
Robert Allan Ltd. and Sanmar introduce new VectRA series of Voith tractor tugs
7
Editor’s note
20 Tankers
8
In brief
24
12
18
By Jane McIvor
Industry traffic and news briefs
History lesson
Forgotten delicacy The history of the decline of the Olympia oyster By Lea Edgar
28
30
32
34 36
12
Lloyd’s Register releases guidance notes for new technologies
Tanker tidbits By Syd Heal
Industry insight
Climbing mountains and bridging gaps Robert Lewis-Manning, President, Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia Lewis-Manning’s past achievements stand him in good stead for taking on the leadership of one of B.C.’s most important organizations for the shipping community.
44 Technology
LNG
Aussies show the LNG way amid tough markets By Ray Dykes
International shipping
46
Canada offers a competitive, predictable and flexible regime By Vancouver International Maritime Centre
48
Transportation
50
Canada Transportation Act review Just another review? By Trevor D. Heaver
Ports
Upcoming Harbour Master Congress focuses on port expansion By Niamh Horan
Environment
Underwater noise Explanations and possible solutions By Véronique Nolet
52
Legal affairs
If in doubt, don’t throw it out Forsey v. Burin Peninsula Marine Service Center By Megan Nicholls
Maritime safety
Piracy, geopolitics in South China Sea threaten global trade By Brett Witthoeft
Ferry safety
Ferry safety and technology Opportunity time By Roberta Weisbrod
Drugs & alcohol
Mitigating and managing the risks of international maritime substance use By Christopher Loat
40
Mercy Ships
Connecting the davits By JoJo Beattie
37 Lifeboats
Update on Steveston Lifeboat
On the cover: The Cabo Sounion at Westridge Terminals (photo: Dave Roels, www.daveroels.com); above: Teekay’s Kyeema Spirit (photo courtesy Teekay Group); right: Meridian Marine is in the final stages of constructing the WW Turbine 1 (photo: Dave Roels, www.daveroels.com); left: Robert Lewis-Manning.
May 2016 BC Shipping News 5
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May 2016 Volume 6/Issue 4
Publisher McIvor Communications Inc. President & Editor Jane McIvor Contributing Writers JoJo Beattie Andrew Carney Ray Dykes Lea Edgar Syd Heal Trevor D. Heaver Niamh Horan Robert Lewis-Manning Christopher Loat Megan Nicholls Véronique Nolet Roberta Weisbrod Brett Witthoeft Advertising and Subscriptions Phone: 604-893-8800 Jane McIvor (jane@bcshippingnews.com) Advertising only: Lesley McIvor (lesleymcivor@shaw.ca) ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION Canada Three Years $116.95 Cdn* Two Years $83.50 Cdn* One Year $44.95 Cdn* USA One Year $75.00 Cdn Other Countries One Year $95.00 Cdn Single copies *Canadian rates add 5% GST
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Contents copyrighted 2016 McIvor Communications Inc. 300 - 1275 West 6th Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada V6H 1A6 Phone: 604-893-8800/Fax: 604-708-1920 E-mail: contact@bcshippingnews.com International Standard Serial Number ISSN: 1925-4865 / Published 10 times per year. The opinions expressed by contributing writers are not necessarily those of the Publisher. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher.
Proud member of: 300 – 1275 WEST 6TH AVENUE, VANCOUVER, BC V6H 1A6 T: 604-893-8800 / F: 604-708-1920 E: JANE@BCSHIPPINGNEWS.COM 6 BC Shipping News May 2016
International Sailor’s Society Canada Vancouver Transportation Club
EDITOR’S NOTE
Photos by Dave Roels, www.daveroels.com
Getting past the quagmire
A
few months ago, the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association of B.C. (ICBA) launched a communications campaign to encourage support for numerous projects making their way through the approval process. These projects include, among others, the TransMountain Pipeline Expansion, LNG projects, and port/terminal expansions in Vancouver. The 40-yearold association is to be congratulated for
rising above the negative voices to advocate for responsible development that balances the needs of the community and the needs of the project while safeguarding the environment. It’s a pretty simple message — natural resources are a large part of B.C.’s economy and if we want to continue to enjoy a lifestyle which includes health care, education and law enforcement, we’re going to have find the balance that allows these projects to move forward.
While not to suggest that every project is good to go as is and should be rammed through, it does seem like every initiative proposed comes with a ready set group of protestors who are quick to condemn a project without any due consideration. If nothing else, the ICBA’s campaign highlights the need for education and discussion. As a first step in moving forward, that’s a good start. I signed up. Did you? — Jane McIvor
May 2016 BC Shipping News 7
INDUSTRY TRAFFIC
Murray McLellan: Celebrating his life and legacy Photo courtesy of the McLellan family
I
t is with sadness that we note the passing of Murray McLellan, publisher of Harbour & Shipping, who succumbed to ALS on March 10, 2016 following a brave and private two-year battle. Murray leaves his wife, son, daughter and four grandchildren. As news of Murray’s passing began to spread, it was evident that there were many in B.C.’s shipping industry who considered themselves more than just Murray’s colleague. Friendships dating back 40-plus years were described with fondness; memories that stand as a testament to his character were shared; and the importance of his work and legacy was praised. There are few in B.C.’s maritime industry over the past 50 years who leave a greater legacy or will be remembered as warmly as Murray McLellan. While documenting and preserving an important piece of B.C.’s history, Murray became a part of that history, forever to be remembered through the archives of Harbour & Shipping and his extensive photographic library that
Murray McLellan, publisher of Harbour & Shipping Magazine.
illustrated the characters, projects and activities of the West Coast’s shipping community. Harbour & Shipping was started in 1918 by Murray’s grandfather, W.
From the first edition, published in December, 1918 (left), to the last, published in December, 2010 (right), Harbour & Shipping provides a detailed and documented history of B.C.’s maritime industry.
8 BC Shipping News May 2016
Norman Code, and his partner, J. H. Hamilton. After Hamilton retired in 1945, Norman Code continued to publish until 1958 when his sonin-law Norman (Mac) McLellan took the helm. Murray joined his father at Progress Publishing in 1963 and in 1972, took over as publisher of Harbour & Shipping. The fourth generation, daughter Kirstin Hodge, worked as editor of the magazine for several years. Harbour & Shipping magazines dating back to 1918 and Murray’s collection of marine photography will be housed at the Maritime Museum in Vancouver and the North Vancouver Museum and Archives. In addition, past copies of Harbour & Shipping are available at BookLovers in North Vancouver. As the successor to Harbour & Shipping when Murray retired in 2011, BC Shipping News was created with the lofty goal of matching Murray’s quality in content and relevance to the industry. H&S contributing writers such as Ray Dykes, Syd Heal, Peter Bernard and his team at Bernard LLP, were eager to assist as was a new group of writers — Darryl Anderson, Joe Spears, Colin Laughlan and many more who understand the importance of having a forum for the industry’s voice. For over 92 years, Harbour & Shipping was that voice. And for over 50 of those years, Murray provided the leadership, passion and resolve to ensure that the history of the maritime industry was not lost to successive generations. Harbour & Shipping is an important part of our collective memory and it is with great appreciation that Murray’s contributions are recognized. On behalf of a grateful industry, BC Shipping News wishes heartfelt condolences to the McLellan family.
NEWS BRIEFS Darrell Bryan named Interferry interim CEO
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arrell Bryan, formerly President and CEO of Victoria Clipper, has started work as interim CEO of Interferry following the retirement of Len Roueche. The Interferry Board of Directors named Bryan for the role, effective April 1, pending the appointment of a permanent successor. Len Roueche, who has retired after 14 years as CEO, led the organization’s evolution from the International Marine Transit Association (IMTA) to Interferry, the leading international association for ferry operators and industry suppliers. Interferry chairman Mike Grainger comments: “We thank Len for his long commitment to our organization and to the international ferry community. We also appreciate Darrell’s willingness to come out of retirement to manage the association, allowing us time to complete the due diligence necessary to recruit a permanent successor.” Mr. Bryan steps in as interim CEO after a 30-year career running Victoria Clipper, an international ferry system operating three high-speed catamarans between Seattle and Victoria.
Peter Bernard Q.C. joins Board of Directors at Robert Allan Ltd.
M
ike Fitzpatrick, President, and Robert G. Allan, Executive Chairman are extremely pleased to announce that Peter Bernard, Q.C, a well-known and highly regarded retired maritime lawyer in Vancouver, has been elected to the Board of Directors of Robert Allan Ltd., Naval Architects. Peter brings to the Board of Robert Allan Ltd. a wealth of experience in the maritime field as well as a broad understanding of the global marine industry. This experience will be of great benefit to the company, now doing about 80 per cent of its business outside of North America. Peter practised in the field of Maritime Law for more than 45 years, finally as a founding partner of Bernard and Partners from which he retired in 2012. He has a very broad experience in all aspects of the field and currently serves on the boards of the International Maritime Centre, the International Sailor’s Society (Canada), the Mission to Seafarers, the Vancouver Maritime Museum and the Pacific Pilotage Authority.
May 2016 BC Shipping News 9
INDUSTRY TRAFFIC
In memoriam
Clear Seas, Angus Reid release results of national survey on shipping
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anadians see their nation as a seafaring one and have mostly positive views about shipping and its contribution to the country — at least to some degree. Unsurprisingly, it’s Canada’s coastal regions who feel this most strongly. But while the majority of Canadians are comfortable shipping liquefied natural gas, when asked about the shipping of petroleum products in territorial waters, people were markedly less enthusiastic. These findings emerge from an Angus Reid Institute public opinion poll conducted in partnership with the Clear Seas Centre for Responsible
Marine Shipping. This comprehensive national survey — intended as a benchmark of public attitudes concerning marine shipping — also finds most Canadians have confidence in existing oversight mechanisms to ensure industry safety, but considerable concern that not enough attention is paid to them. Key findings covering the public image of shipping in Canaada, perceptions of marine shipping safety, and confidence in shipping safety and oversight, can be found on Angus Reid’s website at: www.angusreid.org/ marine-shipping.
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Archie Mackinnon November 5, 1948 - March 21, 2016
I
t is with real sorrow that we advise of the passing of Alan Archibald Mackinnon — Archie — following a valiant battle with esophageal and stomach cancer. Archie’s career started with an apprenticeship with CP Rail and followed by working around the world on oil rigs and off-shore platforms before joining Armature Electric, a Vancouver electric motor and generator repair company. As the marine sales manager with Armature for almost 30 years, Archie was a colleague and friend to many in the marine industry before retiring in 2013. Archie was an active participant in promoting the local cruise industry. His tenure on the board of directors of the Cruise Industry Association of B.C. culminated with his role as President and, as an integral team member of the B.C. pavilion at the Seatrade Cruise Ship Convention in Miami, he was an invaluable supporter and representative of B.C.’s cruise suppliers. Archie will be remembered as a character full of life and laughter. He leaves behind wife Elaine, children Katrina and Jean, and stepchildren Janet, Douglas, Mary Catherine, and Beverly, and six grandchildren. He will most definitely be missed.
NEWS BRIEFS
ClassNK updates its guidelines on the installation of BWT systems
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eading classification society ClassNK has just released amendments to its Guidelines on the Installation of Ballast Water Treatment Systems. The latest Guidelines include alterations to the application date of the ballast water performance standard, additions and modifications of definitions, and a revision of standards for installation of ballast water treatment systems. The IMO developed and adopted The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 (BWM Convention) with the aim of protecting the marine environment from the transfer of harmful aquatic
organisms in ballast water carried by ships. In 2010, ClassNK published the first edition of its Guidelines on the Installation of Ballast Water Treatment Systems which contained information related to the selection of ballast water treatment systems, general requirements and precautions related to installation, and a description of the procedure for the approval of ballast water treatment systems by ClassNK. In the latest edition of its Guidelines, ClassNK has amended the application date of the ballast water performance standard based on the revised implementation schedule adopted by IMO Assembly resolution A.1088(28).
Requirements relating to standards for installation of ballast water treatment systems have also been expanded upon in the latest edition of ClassNK’s Guidelines in response to the IACS Unified Requirement (UR) M74 Installation of Ballast Water Management Systems that was adopted in September 2015. In particular, additional requirements for tankers carrying flammable liquids have been laid out in order to improve onboard safety, protect the marine environment, and ensure the structural strength and integrity of the ship. The Guidelines on the Installation of Ballast Water Treatment Systems are available on the ClassNK website: www. classnk.com
May 2016 BC Shipping News 11
INDUSTRY INSIGHT
Climbing mountains and bridging gaps Robert Lewis-Manning
President, Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia
My impression is that the western marine community is really cohesive...and that the Chamber itself is a hub for much of the activity within the shipping community.
T
here is little doubt that the position of President, Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia, is one of the most important roles to provide leadership for the shipping industry in B.C. That said, the skillset and experience of the person replacing Captain Stephen Brown must be strong in a number of facets. As you’ll read in our interview with Robert LewisManning, the Chamber’s board has found such a person. Knowledge of ships, commercial shipping and Canada’s supply chain, government and non-government stakeholder relations, and, above all, skilled in the art of diplomacy are just some of the assets that Lewis-Manning holds in spades. The fact that he’s a self-admitted environmentalist and has a track record of successfully engaging non-shipping interests on issues similar to those facing the West Coast, provides optimism that perhaps he is the one to bridge the great divide that separates the industry and the populace of B.C.
12 BC Shipping News May 2016
BCSN: It’s early days yet but what are your initial impressions of the industry on the West Coast? RLM: My impression is that the western marine community is really cohesive and connected and that the Chamber itself is a hub for much of the activity within the shipping community. That was a pleasant revelation. Contrasting that are those tall mountains and perhaps an insular view of the industry. The challenges on this coast are clear to most people but when you climb those mountains, you quickly realize that most of the issues are national and international in scope. I think it’s getting the dialogue over the mountains that’s going to be a big part of my mandate. Another very positive thing I see is that most citizens of B.C. consider themselves guardians of the coast. What seems to be lost on a lot of people however is that, while they may have a negative perception of shipping, they are using the commodities that ships bring. Ships are
important but what’s more important are the commodities and the people that are using the commodities. It’s not about the ships, it’s about the cargo that ships are moving. BCSN: I’ d like to get a sense of the career steps that have led you to your new position as President of the Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia. RLM: My career path was often unplanned which I think has been a real benefit for me because it has exposed me to a lot of different things and to pick and choose what interests me the most. I actually wanted a career in aviation but, because of the economy at that time, it didn’t work out so I ran away to the Navy at the young age of 18 to see the world. Like anyone who joins the Navy, you go through a progression of various roles over the span of eight to 10 years, all geared toward understanding what it takes to be at sea. So that’s the “ship piece” of my resumé. I did a lot of different things, saw a lot of the world and hopefully did some good. I then transitioned to a more policy and executive leadership role which took me to places like Ottawa where I learned about the bureaucracy and some of the political pieces of government. That grew into a few foreign postings
INDUSTRY INSIGHT with a strong research and diplomatic theme. I worked in the U.K., Portugal, and then Afghanistan. Of all the places in my sea-going career that had a big influence, Afghanistan was a big one. I was there to do research as part of NATO and examine how military organizations might interface with local and national governments, which at that time were still fairly rudimentary. That hearkens back to my comment about an unplanned career because ending up in Afghanistan, working with numerous non-government organizations, had a strong influence on the positions I took on later in life, including this one. Eventually, I went back to the coastal Navy and came here to the West Coast to assist with security planning for the 2010 Olympics. I then took command of a ship and, about six years ago when I was looking for something a little different, ended up shifting to the commercial shipping sector to head the Canadian Shipowners Association. Again, it was somewhat of an unplanned move. I think what was fascinating about that experience was that so much of the focus was the Great Lakes, which is a microcosm of a larger national and international commercial industry. As a region, it’s the third largest economy in the world with tremendous industrial capability and a lot of people living in a small geographical area. It’s also the largest freshwater body in the world which means ships are sailing on drinking water. And it has an incredibly engaged stakeholder base with large environmental challenges. So you put those factors together and you have very dynamic setting. There are a lot of comparisons to the western community — i.e., a lot of people and non-shipping organizations who care about issues that are relevant to our industry. They have an interest in the marine eco-system and are very engaged. Because of this, while the industry may have been sailing in some silence years ago, it’s the exact opposite now.
The 2015 Canada-U.S. Marine Gateway Conference: Donald Roussel (Transport Canada); Robert Lewis-Manning; Peter Hinchcliffe (Int’l Chamber of Shipping); and Rob Burger (Thompson Hine LLP).
BCSN: I’m guessing that your strengths in government relations and stakeholder engagement will be good assets for your new role. RLM: I hope so. I have experience with government relations federally and internationally, as well as working with non-traditional stakeholders, including NGOs and First Nations. These are relationships that are built and valued for the long term.
Clearly, the Chamber already has a lot of strengths. It has fantastic staff with a great deal of experience. I see my role as something that will build on the work of my predecessor, Captain Stephen Brown. I have a very different background to that of Captain Brown but a skillset that will be useful for the organization in the future. I go back to my earlier comment that the discussion is not just about
May 2016 BC Shipping News 13
INDUSTRY INSIGHT We have to escape our name a bit because we’re dealing with national and international issues and we have to think in those terms. ships; it’s about commodities, and the perspective is not just a B.C. perspective. We have to escape our name a bit because we’re dealing with national and international issues and we have to think in those terms. We are having
a lot of internal discussion right now to consider what capabilities and strategies we can bring to national advocacy. There is going to be some heavy lifting because the mountains are just as tall from the Ottawa side as well.
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The dynamics on the coast are very different — but the commodities are similar. More and more of those commodities are moving westward — this is the place where the spotlight should be. Another aspect that must be considered is our current and incredibly challenging commercial period. It might be counterintuitive but I believe that while we’re in a commercial slowdown, we should be ramping up our efforts and resources to build up the capabilities, confidence and support for industry growth because it’s coming. It may not be coming quickly right now but it will come and we can’t ignore the reality. We need to be sophisticated and prepared for that growth when it comes because it’s far more difficult to have that dialogue when the growth is happening. BCSN: Building support for some of the issues we face on the West Coast has been a real challenge. Has it been as challenging for the industry in the East? RLM: Yes. I’ll give you a good example. Just last year there was legislation introduced to the U.S. Congress which imposed a moratorium on the shipment of crude oil in the Great Lakes. Something like that attracts considerable attention even when there was no crude oil moving on the Great Lakes and there were no plans to do so. The bill itself was unsuccessful but it was successful at focusing a lot of attention on the issue. The Great Lakes region has a bi-national, semi-governmental organization called the Great Lakes Commission which took ownership of the issue and was able to bring government, First Nations, NGOs, and industry to the table to have a real dialogue. It was a very positive exercise because they went into discussions with no pre-determined outcome and over a period of 12 months, they established principles on how to address the different perspectives, which then developed into collaborative research. What a great model — to get such diverse interests to come together and have that difficult dialogue.
INDUSTRY INSIGHT BCSN: I imagine that the Canada Transportation Act review will feature largely in setting priorities. RLM: Absolutely. In terms of the priorities for the federal government, we’ll have to look at where the CTA review report aligns with ministerial mandates and then what comes out of the federal budget. If there’s something in the CTA Review that is reflected in the mandate letters and the budget, then it will be a priority. Overall, I see two main thrusts for the Chamber. One is to help our principle members ensure that increased costs are mitigated in the short term while we have challenging commercial circumstances. At the same time, we’ll need to engage with non-traditional and traditional stakeholders about what sustainable shipping looks like moving forward. There are a lot of issues — anchorages in the Gulf Island, marine protected areas, proposed moratoriums, etc. and, in one way or another, most of them relate to issues of governance. We’ll be working on both of those concurrently while expanding capabilities for our influence nationally. We have to make sure our principle members are served first and foremost when it comes to costs for port tariffs, efficiencies with pilotage, and marine service fees by the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) and Transport Canada (TC). The second priority of addressing mistrust amongst stakeholders will be a significant and important challenge. This needs to be dealt with and it will take some vulnerability on everyone’s part to develop a healthier approach. BCSN: Could you provide an example of what you mean about vulnerability? RLM: The Marine Plan Partnership for the North Pacific Coast (MAPP) and the Pacific North Coast Integrated Management Area (PNCIMA) processes are good examples. Much has been invested by many stakeholders but the relationships have been negative in those processes. Processes like these should bring people together, not divide them. I’m not assigning blame — it can
Past and present Presidents of the Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia (left to right): Ron Cartwright, Rick Bryant, Bonnie Gee (lVice President), Stephen Brown and Robert Lewis-Manning.
be challenging to overcome issues but it’s something that needs to be done if we’re to see any progress. BCSN: It might be a bit too early in your tenure to ask this, but you mentioned the mandate letters that the Prime Minister issued to his Ministers. Have you had a chance to consider the impact of the proposed moratorium on tanker traffic in the North? RLM: Moratoriums are often used as a tool to fix something else that is broken. If we’re not rushed by pending project decisions, wouldn’t it be wise 20150813-GillespieMunro-HalfPage-65yrs.pdf
1
2015-10-07
to fix that which is broken? If the government addresses risk every time with moratoriums, it will be sending a signal externally that Canada is not open for business. Minister Garneau has noted that this mandate is high on his agenda so it will be interesting to see how it unfolds. For many stakeholders, we don’t understand the strategy of the government yet and we don’t know how they are going to address this with stakeholders. We’ll be having that discussion with government very soon. I’m not sure anyone can
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INDUSTRY INSIGHT
During the 2010 Olympics, Robert’s role within the Royal Canadian Navy included maritime security planning.
come out with a strong proposal on how to move forward until we hear the government’s side. We need to go back to the principles that the government itself espouses — i.e., factbased science and reasoning. And as an industry, we have to be able to turn to evidence to prove that what we do is sustainable and will not harm the ecosystem. It goes back to facts and research rather than just imposing solutions. BCSN: What about some of the other projects where regulatory approval has been a long time coming, like Enbridge for example? RLM: I have started to get engaged in some of the projects but the Chamber, as an organization, has not been supportive or negative about any of them. They are commercial ventures with their own regulatory approval process which, unless the government indicates differently, should be respected. Whether those processes have addressed concerns of all stakeholders is probably a valid question and I think both the government and the project proponents recognize it. I do not understand the approval processes well enough to tell you if they are sufficiently robust but clearly certain stakeholders have concerns about the marine aspect of some projects. There’s a range of opinions and differences and I wouldn’t want to label them all the same because they’re not. Needless to say, when there is information about marine safety that is incorrect, the Chamber does play an educational role. It does seem ironic, however, that a regulatory process would approve certain major projects and the government would counteract it with an instrument such as a moratorium. If major projects are vulnerable to unexpected constraints, then there is a risk to the supply chain and future projects. From an international perspective, it’s sending a signal that we’re not open for business and that our supply chain is vulnerable. I’m looking at this not from a position of crude oil but in the larger context of commodities. If our supply chain is vulnerable to these types of failures in process then what could happen next? We have to be concerned about the process. It’s my hope that this economic 16 BC Shipping News May 2016
downturn is an opportunity to get the process right and reflect on those principles that the federal government has said are important. BCSN: I’ d like to get your take on some of the international regulations that are topmost in the industry’s mind. First, the Ballast Water Management Convention. RLM: The Ballast Water Management Convention is definitely coming. I anticipate that it will stumble into force sometime in the next three months. The threshold for approval has been reached with regard to the percentage of countries required for approval and the percentage of world tonnage required is on the verge. I think you’ll see a number of small flag states ratify it soon and it will come into force one year later. BCSN: What about the U.S. standards and how that will affect implementation? RLM: The actual requirements for ballast water management are similar in Canada and the U.S. How a ship owner achieves those standards is the difference. Technology that’s certified globally is not yet recognized or type-approved by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A ship owner can purchase expensive treatment technology anywhere in the world and, at the moment, the U.S. will not recognize it. The U.S. system follows a completely different approval process and that’s forcing ship owners to focus on developments in the U.S. You can imagine anyone trading into a Canadian port and then a U.S. port will want to ensure they have the system that’s approved in the U.S. The Ballast Water Management Convention will be the most expensive and technically challenging regulatory change ever for the industry. It will be a phased introduction depending on the age of the ship and the volume of ballast water. Of course, ship owners want to ensure that they have chosen the right technology. I think we’ll figure it out in the Canadian context but for those companies trading in both Canada and the U.S., it’s going to be more complex. The laws in the U.S. leave ship owners much more vulnerable with both the US Coast Guard and the EPA regulating the same discharge but under different statutes. BCSN: What about greenhouse gas emissions? RLM: Change is coming here too. The IMO’s Marine Environmental Protection Committee meets in April and GHG reductions is a big part of the agenda. Coming out of the COP21 environmental meeting in Paris last year, there’s no question that the marine industry will have to reduce its GHG emissions and how it does this is really a discussion in which we need to be involved. There are indications that there may be some sort of market-based measure but how that unfolds and the mechanics is something we will have to watch carefully. We’re closely monitoring the work of the International Chamber of Shipping — they’re a great conduit for having that dialogue
INDUSTRY INSIGHT about what a MBM would look like. It could potentially be a fuel levy. Given that predictability is the best thing for the industry, we would probably shy away from a cap and trade framework. Benchmarks are going to be important and also whether reductions will be targeted absolute reductions or overall efficiencies. BCSN: What about container weight verification and verified gross mass (VGM)? RLM: You hear a lot of “noise” about VGM but I’m pleased with what I’m seeing and hearing on the coast. This organization has been very engaged with Transport Canada and the industry across Canada about VGM. From all indications, ship owners, terminals and the regulator are being proactive and pragmatic about implementation. Our Liner Committee met recently and there were no red flags raised at this point. Will it be a perfect implementation? Likely not. Will we have to watch how it unfolds? Yes. But most of the technology
About the Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia
T
he Chamber is the national voice of the marine industry on Canada’s West Coast. Representing vessel owners, operators and shipping agencies engaged in international trade through Canada’s Pacific Gateway, the importance of that voice is arguably more important today as North America’s trade with Asia undergoes unrelenting growth and Canada’s Asia-Pacific Gateway plays a vital role in facilitating trade efficiency for the benefit of the entire nation. Representing its members in collaborative efforts to resolve problems and make progress on a wide range of fronts, the Chamber takes pride in harnessing constructive relationships with legislators at all levels and in facilitating solutions-focused meetings between members and other influential marine partners and stakeholders. The Board of Directors of the Chamber is comprised of nine elected members to provide governance, policy direction and industry oversight to the activities of the association. Board members also chair a number of standing committees which deal with day-to-day local issues but to which the secretariat also reports wider national and international issues which have (or the potential to have) a bearing on the marine industry. In this context, the Chamber’s formal affiliation with the International Chamber of Shipping and Intertanko in addition to close working relationships with a number of other Canadian and U.S. marine and business associations, allows it to provide input at the highest levels of policy making.
For more information, please visit: www.cosbc.ca
We need to keep building positive relationships that will stand the test of time as you simply never know when you might need to call upon them. is already there. It’s more about process at this point and a framework for accountability. I have been really impressed with how proactive the industry has been on this file. There will be some growing pains and hopefully that doesn’t affect the customer at the end of the day. I think the industry in the U.S. — shippers rather than ship owners — have been anxious and the agricultural sector has been nervous because they’re working inside a regulated industry that’s not their own. SOLAS isn’t new to anyone in our industry and the accountability is still going to be with the ship owner. BCSN: My last question was going to focus on future priorities for the Chamber but I think that has already been the thread throughout our conversation. RLM: I hope so but it is still quite early in my tenure. While the urgency of certain challenges inevitably makes them a priority, it is the longer-term that is most important. We need to keep building positive relationships that will stand the test of time as you simply never know when you might need to call upon them. BCSN
About Robert Lewis-Manning
R
obert was a senior officer in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) for 24 years, fulfilling various sea-going and staff positions. He had several interesting policy and diplomatic positions in Europe working for the North Atlantic Treaty Council in addition to global operational deployment experience, including Afghanistan and the Balkans. Robert was very involved in maritime security planning associated with the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and was the Captain of the frigate HMCS Vancouver. Upon departing the RCN, Robert joined the Canadian Shipowners Association as the President, where he was instrumental in progressing the interests of Canadian ship owners and promoting short-sea-shipping. Robert has a passion for the outdoors and enjoys snowboarding, sailing, biking and hiking. Periodically, he can be found on the ice refereeing hockey. May 2016 BC Shipping News 17
HISTORY LESSON Forgotten delicacy
The history of the decline of the Olympia oyster By Lea Edgar Librarian/Archivist, Vancouver Maritime Museum Photo credit: Dave Roels (www.daveroels.com)
This is the story of how our little oyster nearly ceased to exist, but despite all odds, still continues to cling to life on the coast...
D
id you know that every commercially farmed oyster shucked on B.C. tables is not native to the province? Most oysters we find here today are Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) imported from Japan. The native Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida) was almost wiped out after over-harvesting and pollution at the turn of the century. They are so rare that Olympia oysters, or “Olys” as they are locally known, were listed under the Species at Risk Act as a “species of special concern” in 2003. This is the story of how our little oyster nearly ceased to exist, but despite all odds, still continues to cling to life on the coast of the Pacific Northwest. When European settlers arrived in British Columbia, they discovered the Oly from the Aboriginal peoples who had enjoyed them as part of their diet for centuries. First Nations peoples on Vancouver Island harvested and sold the delicious oysters to the colonists of Fort Victoria. In the 1800s, the Olympia oyster was abundant all along the coast of the Pacific Northwest. They were extremely popular with colonists and demand quickly overcame supply. By the early 1900s, they were already in rapid decline. The small Oly oysters were devastated due largely to over-harvesting, 18 BC Shipping News May 2016
but also because of alterations to the habitat such as dredging, and pollution. The story of the loss of the Oly is not very well documented in British Columbia. However, the decline in California is more thoroughly recorded and understood and we can safely say the situation there largely reflected the events that occurred in B.C. The disappearance of the Olympia oyster in California began during the Gold Rush of 1849 with overharvesting. It is actually documented that Mark Twain, while living at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco, frequently feasted upon the delicacy. They were so fashionable with their distinct coppery taste that by 1893 there were 8,033 acres of oyster beds in several Californian bays and sloughs. That amounts to almost half a million oysters per acre. The Olys were much smaller than their Japanese cousins. To fill a gallon jug, one would need between 1,600 to 2,000 shucked Olys. It wouldn’t be long before the Californian beds were nearly wiped clean. In the Bay Area wild oysters were essentially extinct by 1911. To compensate for the loss of the native oyster, Atlantic oysters were introduced but failed to take hold. As the Olys declined in California, more demand
was placed for the unique bivalves on Washington and B.C. oyster beds. In B.C., one of the first instances recorded of farmed Olympia oysters by colonists is from 1865. A Mr. Busey received permission from the government to plant oyster beds in Gorge Harbour, as reported in the British Colonist newspaper. New natural beds of oysters were being frequently discovered by settlers around Vancouver Island and quick thinking entrepreneurs jumped at the business opportunity. In the mid to late-1800s the trend of eating Oly oysters was demonstrated by the proliferation of new specialty oyster bars. Even with the decline becoming apparent, in the 1890s Olys were still offered on board local steamers such as the SS Kootenay where they were served fried for supper. By 1887, the Department of Fisheries started to take notice and record the diminished state of oyster farming in B.C. Thomas Mowat, Fisheries Inspector, proclaimed, “We have a number of defined beds on this coast, but for want of proper care and attention they have deteriorated and are now almost worthless.” In September 1894, a short article appeared in the Daily Colonist newspaper addressing the scarcity of the Olympia oyster. The blame was placed on a particularly cold winter, however, the journalist paraphrased the thoughts of an oyster dealer by writing, “The natural oyster beds, he said, are nearly exhausted, because no care has been exercised in connection with them
VANCOUVER MARITIME MUSEUM and no protection afforded them.” By 1899, there were calls for seasonal closures of oyster harvesting. Sadly, these death knells of the Olympia oyster industry were either ignored or acted upon too late. Perhaps this was partly due to the shifted focus to the farming of the Japanese Pacific oyster which was introduced in 1905. By 1927, pollution from various pulp and paper mills and habitat destruction likely pushed the Olys even closer to the brink. However, due to a lack of study and documentation, the primary cause of decline is agreed to be over-harvesting. Like California before it, the B.C. Olympia oyster industry essentially collapsed by 1958. The history of the decline of the Olympia oyster in B.C. is somewhat hazy. As the harvesting of Olys was no longer profitable and the Pacific oyster took its place, the native oyster was largely abandoned and left to its fate. Although one may assume that this situation afforded the Oly a chance to recover, it largely has not. Some natural beds survive, but it has failed to bounce back to its pre-Colonial numbers. Today there are a few efforts to re-establish the Olympia oyster in the Pacific Northwest. For example, the Puget Sound Restoration Fund has been working hard to bring the native species back to the region. Some benefits to re-introducing the species are water filtration, shoreline stabilization, as well as providing an environment for prey species of juvenile salmon. Small, but hopefully sustainable, colonies have been
A native Olympia oyster from Baynes Sound. Image by Deep Bay Marine Field Station at Vancouver Island University. (Retrieved from https://flic. kr/p/9A33PH.)
discovered and efforts are underway to protect them from further harm. Slowly, they appear to be making a comeback. With some luck and the continued trend of sustainable aquaculture, we may very well see the return of the Oly to B.C.’s restaurants in the near future. Lea Edgar started her position as Librarian/Archivist for VMM in 2013. She can be contacted at archives@ vancouvermaritimemuseum.com.
John M. Horton, Marine Artist New release!
Paintings and limited edition prints for corporate offices, retirement gifts and marine art collections
Tea Time in the Pagoda Anchorage (circa 1860)
John’s latest painting depicts the Chinese seaport of Fouchow, circa 1860. Fast clipper ships gathered in the spectacular Pagoda Anchorage to load tea from junks and sanpans that brought their precious cargos from as far as 100 miles up the Min River. This painting shows a clipper ship arriving in the Pagoda Anchorage while other ships are already busy taking on cargo.
Call for availability.
(604) 943-4399 / john@johnhorton.ca / www.johnhorton.ca May 2016 BC Shipping News 19
TANKERS
Tanker tidbits By Syd Heal
Over ordering is not a new phenomenon. It is in fact like a pendulum that goes with the shipping cycle, but what causes it and who instigates it is quite hard to see clearly...
J
20 BC Shipping News May 2016
rates collapse and demand diminishes in a significant way that what was a balanced fleet suddenly develops fleets of under-employed ships. The truth is that when demand and supply are in perfect balance, it is almost momentary and therefore seldom arises. As I’ve said before, the basic element is plain, ordinary greed. However, there is a great deal more to the issue beyond human frailty as it has long been an axiom of ship owning that owners place orders for new ships at driven down prices when shipyards, hungry for Photo source: Lennart Rydberg on shipspotting.com
ust as 2015 was a disastrous year for the bulk carrier industry, a situation likely to continue through to 2017, so also was 2015 a memorable year for the tanker industry. This sector started to take off in the fall of 2014 after a long drought that had its start in the 2008 recession. The tanker freight market was very strong through 2015 and should remain strong through at least 2016 according to industry forecasters. That is until the usual spate of over ordering new ships goes from a trickle to a flood, as is now happening with VLCC and Suezmax, the main crude carriers being particularly hit. Some ordering is always essential to replace with ‘new for old’ but when ship owners go crazy, that is when they end up with severe financial indigestion as we have seen with dry bulk and are seeing again in containers. Over ordering is not a new phenomenon. It is in fact like a pendulum that goes with the shipping cycle, but what causes it and who instigates it is quite hard to see clearly as many contribute to it and for different reasons. To be fair, over ordering when initiated may look like a touch of accretive genius when markets are prospering. It’s what can happen when trade falls off, freight
business, will go a long way to get an order at any cost short of bankrupting the yard and creating a closure which, once in the hands of creditors, usually becomes permanent. Nowadays, as an economic factor, owners will order off a more or less standardized design to save money and if a shipbuilder can obtain a big fat order, or series of orders for a significant multiple of sister ships at a price that gives him a reasonable profit because of standardization and repetition, he undoubtedly sees himself as fortunate. The dry cargo market has always been subject to wild oscillations with hundreds of owners, mostly private, jockeying for sometimes scarce cargoes. It is only since the growth of large, powerful private owners including such famous tanker owners as the Greeks, Onassis
Scorpio Tankers’ STI Brixton, a 38,000-dwt product tanker, Ice Class 1A.
TANKERS and Niarchos, Norwegians Erling Naess and Sigval Bergesen, and American Daniel K. Ludwig followed by a number of others like John Fredriksen with a singular dedication to tankers, that the market has gradually been affected to such an extent by rate gyrations. Up to about the 1960s, the bulk of tankers were owned by large international oil companies. The fleets owned by Shell, Exxon and BP in particular were vast and provided a stabilizing effect in maintaining an orderly market. Their vessels were seen everywhere and it was their lead that was followed by many other oil majors. Because they owned most of the tonnage, they operated and built new tonnage according to welldefined needs and originated all the cargoes they carried. It had a stabilizing effect on tanker markets so that, for example, tankers were far less affected than dry cargo shipping and did not suffer the massive layups that the Great Depression brought for freighters. The private owners worked their way into tankers through providing a safety valve for the oil companies, who would disengage from charters when the markets deteriorated. Most privately owned tankers were engaged on two- to threeyear charters, until the leading owners after the Second World War persuaded the oil companies to take them on, typically with seven-year charters, so that they could fully amortize their ship mortgages and complete the time charter with a clear title vessel. Fast forward to our era for a totally different scene. The oil company fleets, for the most part, no longer exist, at least in the Western countries and Japan, unless chartered-in vessels wearing the paint schemes, naming systems and trademarks of the oil companies can be called a fleet, such as BP. Probably every oil company today, with minor possible exceptions, takes a new vessel from a private owner on at least a medium-term charter of at least seven years. In times gone by, the oil majors could sit around a table and amicably agree how to organize the market and ensure its stability. Today, perhaps some
Imagine the effect when...Scorpio Tankers, a virtually new ship owner, enters the fray around 2008 and orders a mixed bag of about 130 tankers and bulkers... 50 private owners compete with each other for massive blocks of charters for the oil majors while the majors conserve their own former shipping capital for other purposes. The ship owner goes to his bank lender with a charter which he can assign to the bank as a major part of his security for a loan, a process which helped Norwegian owners to build fleets of classic tankers, notable
for their efficiency, economics and sheer good looks in the late 1930s and post Second World War. Imagine the effect when, in the current era, Scorpio Tankers, a virtually new ship owner, enters the fray around 2008 and orders a mixed bag of about 130 tankers and bulkers primarily to take advantage of low shipyard prices and seemingly ignoring the distress of many existing
May 2016 BC Shipping News 21
Photo source: Teekay Group
TANKERS
Teekay LNG’s Yamal LNG Carrier new build, ice-strengthened for year-round Arctic service.
ship owners. The timing seems to have reflected an expectation that by the time the ships were delivered over the next few years, the ship-owning cycle would have carried forward into better times. Scorpio divided itself into two separate companies, one for the tankers and the other for the bulkers. Almost since its inception, the bulker company has had a less that lustrous experience and now wallows in the red with most of its contemporaries, mainly because that has been the state of the dry bulk market on and off since 2008. The tanker company has done somewhat better and, in particular, has produced strong results like most of its contemporaries in the current period. Looking at these two companies through an investor’s eyes, I have to wonder what the bankers were thinking in advancing huge sums for such a program and whether it deliberately embodied some strategy to swamp out other, usually smaller, owners, because it’s amazing how their numbers have thinned in the past several years. So many have retired as a result of the near impossible conditions that have periodically prevailed, mostly to be blamed on oversupply. By way of contrast, the ever resilient Angeliki Frangou at Navios has continuously avoided joining the pigs at the trough and drowning her companies in vast over-ordered programs. Her tanker company, Navios Maritime Acquisitions, owners of some 40-odd tankers, plus its dropdown MLP Navios Maritime Midstream with six large VLCCs, has been built largely by buying 22 BC Shipping News May 2016
the distressed assets of companies that have over binged, sometimes with ships on the way, but all of them with a good long life ahead of them and liquidated to Frangou at a sizeable discount and advantages such as early delivery. The current position today is that even though vast numbers of small owners have retired, the family names that were once very active in the last century show up on the boards of many of the big new companies formed in this century, sometimes as CEOs or in other executive positions which might indicate a significant shareholding held directly by an old family or group of relatives. From a ship owner’s point of view, to have wealthy investor clients like this adds up to a mutually profitable arrangement while shipping rates are good, but as the Navios group is finding in its two bulk carrier units, it can become highly inconvenient when rates are down and one is firmly tied to long-term incoming charters that cost more than the ships can make in depressed spot markets and with little hope of lucrative time charters. This is made more painful and complicated if the beneficial owners of chartered-in vessels might also be family, dependent on the ships for their income, a situation that is common among the Greek shipping families. Among the tanker fleets that have done very well is our locally based Teekay Group, a leading conventional tanker owner with major positions in most other marine aspects of the oil industry. According to the magazine
Tanker Operator, Teekay ranks as the current world leader with 16 million deadweight tons and a building program of 465,000 dwt in crude and product tankers, LNG, Floating Production, Storage and Offloading tankers (FPSO) and shuttle tankers organized into four main groups. Teekay Corporation owns a sizeable fleet of tankers in its own name and then has two tanker companies of more conventional tankers, Teekay Tankers Inc. and Tanker Investments, a Norwegian-based affiliated fleet which appears to be an investment vehicle listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. In addition, it controls two Master Limited Partnerships (MLP), Teekay LNG Partners and Teekay Offshore Partners. LNG Partners has one of the largest individual fleets of LNG tankers with a large building program that has just fixed five of 10 new 173,000-cubic-metre vessels under construction and collectively worth about $1.5 billion, to Shell whose merger with the British-based BG Group has now been accomplished. The surviving company is Shell, already a leader in developing a vast new LNG element to its worldwide business. Shell is now the largest international in the LNG industry as it works strenuously to build a worldwide distribution system. Shuttle tankers and FPSOs and other highly specialized vessels are usually only built back-to-back with long-term charters to first class counter parties which, in today’s market, can be rated as a superior investment. The Teekay companies are very strong financially but with their shares in the bargain basement in sympathy with the rest of the shipping market and influenced also by their close relationship with the oil sector, bank finance is harder to source. Teekay has huge obligations under building contracts so rather than seek bank support when bankers are reticent, they cut the dividends by at least 80 per cent for the coming year. Ouch! Syd Heal, a veteran of the marine indutry and a prolific writer and publisher of marine books, can be contacted at richbook@telus.net.
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May 2016 BC Shipping News 23
LNG
Aussies show the LNG way amid tough markets By Ray Dykes Photo by Dave Roels, www.daveroels.com
Today, Australia sits in second spot in world rankings behind Qatar and is expected to have a total nameplate capacity of about 85 million tonnes per year...
A
ustralia is determined to become the world’s biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) by 2018 or 2020 at the latest, according to which Down Under pundits you believe. All it took, they say, was the investment of about $200 billion to target an increase in Asian demand while not being overly concerned about prospects of an industry glut or low prices which some reports say are set to plague the LNG market for years. Today, Australia sits in second spot in world rankings behind Qatar and is expected to have a total nameplate (theoretical maximum) capacity of about 85 million tonnes per year with the biggest ramp up in exports expected between 2015 and 2017. So far, Australia has seven operating LNG export terminals with two recently making their first shipments. The Chief Executive of APPEA (Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association), Dr. Malcolm Roberts, said recently that Australia’s enormous natural gas reserves and Asia’s thirst for clean, reliable energy have seen an unprecedented level of investment in Australian projects in recent years. 24 BC Shipping News May 2016
APPEA represents most of the key companies in the oil and gas exploration and production industry in Australia and Dr. Roberts is confident it is in great shape for the future. “While the oil and gas industry faces the same headwinds as other commodities, we are resilient enough to fend off the latest industry challenges,” he contends. And to think that just five years ago, Australia only had two operating LNGproducing plants. One was quite small — the single train (production line) Darwin LNG Terminal — and it joined the original and much larger Woodside North West Shelf LNG Karratha project with its five production trains. In 2012, these were joined by the nearby single train Pluto LNG Terminal, also a Woodside project. Then came two new terminals this year. First away was a Queensland project, Australia Pacific LNG, jointlyowned by ConocoPhillips, Origin Energy and Sinopec, which made its first shipment on January 9. Then followed Gorgon LNG (15 mtpy capacity) with its first shipment in March from Barrow Island in Western Australia. Largely owned by Chevron, ExxonMobil and Shell, the $43-billion Gorgon project
boasts a three-train liquefaction plant. Just before going to print for this article, the Gorgon terminal temporarily halted production due to “technical difficulties.” There was no immediate word on when it would restart. But, as historians look back, it will be 2015 that was the turning point for LNG in Australia. First came the Curtis LNG Terminal in Queensland, which is now in full production, and more recently, the Santos Gladstone LNG Terminal, also on Curtis Island. Three other large LNG schemes are currently at various stages of development drawing from the gas fields off the north coast of Western Australia (Prelude, Wheatstone and Ichthys). The project list also includes the world’s first floating LNG vessel to be located offshore in Western Australia’s Browse Basin. This project involves the use of a specially-designed vessel to produce, liquefy, store and transfer LNG from offshore. Looking to Canada and its prospects, especially in British Columbia, where there is no shortage of projects at least, the feeling Down Under doesn’t inspire much confidence in the B.C. ventures. Calling it “The Great Canadian LNG Game,” one respected industrywatching blogger said: “I have been getting confused trying to keep up with the rapidly multiplying number of LNG projects in Canada.” So, he was delighted, he added, to find a list put out by the Canadian Government of
LNG export facilities that have entered the regulatory review process. Then followed a list of 19 projects including B.C.’s Kitimat LNG, LNG Canada, Pacific Northwest LNG, Prince Rupert LNG, and 12 others stretched across our nation. While the blogger, known as “abarrellfull,” said it was nice to finally get an official list of Canadian projects, he couldn’t resist a final prod: “Given the rate of change in market conditions and competition from the United States, Australia, and the East (Middle) and elsewhere, most of the Canadian projects will never get built.” Premier Christy Clark might have a different view of the prospects of the several B.C. ventures that still have their hearts set on exporting LNG and bringing wealth to the province, although so far none has even got close to startup let alone exporting. However, despite disappointing global market conditions of oversupply, which a
The International Energy Agency has predicted the world gas market could grow by around 30 per cent by 2030 and the Aussies are gearing up for increasing competition... recent Citigroup analysis said could linger until 2022, there’s still money to be made if the example of Australia and its passage to becoming the world leader-inwaiting is to be studied. Fortunately, says Dr. Roberts, for the Australians and the companies involved, much of the infrastructure needed to export LNG is either completed or nearing completion. The International Energy Agency has predicted the world gas market could grow by around 30 per cent by 2030 and the Aussies are gearing up for increasing competition from the likes of Canada. “Our challenge now is staying competitive,” says Dr. Roberts. Last October saw the first shipment
by Santos GLNG and its joint venture partners. Dr. Roberts could hardly contain his excitement at Australia’s fifth LNG terminal launch. “Completing one of the biggest infrastructure projects in the world is an extraordinary achievement and all those who worked on Santos GLNG, contractors and service providers, are to be congratulated,” he said at the time. For those like the British Columbia LNG projects who just might be closely eyeing the Australian challenge, there’s more bad news. Another cluster of projects — representing a total investment of over $160 billion — are progressing towards completion.
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May 2016 BC Shipping News 25
LNG
The first shipment leaving the Santos Gladstone LNG Terminal on Curtis Island, Queensland, Australia.
Australia’s performance has been worth watching. In 2015, Australia exported 30.4 million tonnes of LNG with a reported value of $16.53 billion (the Aussie dollar is so close to being on par with Canada that it is not worth trying to differentiate). Notably, the country’s December 2015 quarter production was 48 per cent higher than the same quarter in 2014. Major LNG markets are Japan, China and South Korea, while Taiwan also is a customer and India is seen as an important emerging market. Several other Asian nations with declining gas production and rapidly growing gas consumption are expected to join this customer group and become buyers of Australian LNG before the end of the decade. Not surprisingly, in value terms, LNG is expected to become Australia’s second largest commodity export after iron ore by 2018. On the world scene, China has recently overtaken Japan as the largest consumer of natural gas with consumption increasing almost fourfold in the past decade. What this Chinese hunger for LNG means to Australia is that by 2020, China will take 20 per cent of LNG exports under contract while Japan, which once took 80 per cent of 26 BC Shipping News May 2016
the Australian exports, will fall to about a 45 per cent share. These days, Australian producers don’t seem to be too worried about British Columbia or Canada for that matter when it comes to future LNG exports. But, a wary eye is being kept on the United States where LNG supply is expected to increase considerably. This likely surge in LNG production from below the 49th is, according to a recent Reserve Bank of Australia paper entitled “Australia and the Global LNG Market,” likely to be due to “technological advancements and a period of high energy prices (which) have led to a dramatic increase in assessments of recoverable resources of natural gas and oil from unconventional sources.” No doubt British Columbia LNG project backers have been forced to have one eye on the rapidly growing Australian LNG capacity and the other on the expected emergence of the industry in a much bigger way in the U.S. And to make matters even more interesting, the price of Australia’s current and future LNG production is linked to the price of crude oil, so fluctuations in the oil price will affect terms of trade and hence Australian living standards.
Photo source: Santos GLNG
Just ask Albertans what reliance on the fickle crude oil prices means for future stability and growth. It seems B.C.’s entry into the global LNG market will need to be well planned and thought out to ensure the success of any startup that does emerge from the host of projects now in the “likely to” or “wanna be” stage of development. Luckily, the challenges won’t come from a lack of supply. A recent National Energy Board report put northeastern B.C. natural gas resources trillions of cubic feet higher than initial estimates. The study focused on the Liard Basin region, which includes huge tracts of B.C., Yukon and the Northwest Territories. B.C.’s share was put at more than 3,400 trillion cubic feet. While that was good news for the provincial natural gas industry, it still leaves B.C. LNG projects gazing wantonly at a “catch us if you can” mentality in Australia where it seems things liquefied natural gas are turning to gold… or could be turning at a rapidly accelerating pace. Ray Dykes is a journalist who has worked his way around the world as a writer / photographer. Ray can be reached at prplus@shaw.ca.
The official event of:
10th International Harbour Masters Congress 30 May – 2 June 2016 | Pinnacle Hotel Vancouver Harbourfront
Port Expansion – The Challenges The 10th International Harbour Masters’ Association Congress in Vancouver represents not only the 10th Congress, but the 20th year since the inception of the Association. Taking place in the 4th largest port in North America, the 2016 IHMA Congress will address the theme – ‘Port Expansion – The Challenges’. The Congress programme appeals to harbour masters from ports across all levels of the industry spectrum. Congress papers focus on the opportunities and challenges facing the Harbour Master today and also address the key issue of how harbour masters who are custodians of port safety and the environment balance these responsibilities with the challenges of port expansion and increasing vessel size. Featuring a three day conference and exhibition along with an exciting networking programme, make sure you plan ahead and join us in the city named the “World’s Most Liveable” a remarkable eight times since the turn of the century.
10th International Harbour Masters Congress 30 May – 2 June 2016 | Pinnacle Hotel Vancouver Harbourfront
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TRANSPORTATION Canada Transportation Act review
Just another review? By Trevor D. Heaver Professor Emeritus, University of British Columbia
But the details are not the most profound contribution of the report...It is the first review to articulate new visions to guide the development of transport policy since...1961.
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avid Emerson’s report, Pathways: Connecting Canada’s Transportation System to the World, is the third general review of Canada’s transport legislation and policy commissioned by the government since the passage of the National Transportation Act of 1967 (NTA). Like other reviews, its scope is wide. It has
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two volumes totalling 516 pages. It makes 58 primary recommendations and has 150 sub-recommendations. In his letter of submittal, Dr. Emerson states: The Report makes significant recommendations on government decisionmaking and regulatory frameworks to reflect best practices in other
jurisdictions. A swath of specific recommendations deal with the transport of grain, Canada’s trade gateways and corridors, the north, climate change, technology and innovation, accessibility, as well as recommendations relating to each major mode of transport. There is much detail for public and private organizations to consider when formulating their input to Minister Marc Garneau as a part of the stakeholder consultation process. But the details are not the most profound contribution of the report (hereafter, Emerson). It is the first review to articulate new visions to guide the development of transport policy since the MacPherson Royal Commission on Transportation of 1961. Macpherson annunciated the vision that reliance on market competitive forces should be the primary instrument to guide transport policy in the pursuit of efficient transport services able to achieve national economic and other objectives. This has been enshrined in transport policy. Emerson notes that “the Canadian transportation system has been transformed by a series of decisions placing competition and market forces at the heart of transportation policy.” The report goes on, “the findings of the current Review recommend continued emphasis on competition and market forces as primary drivers of decisionmaking in transportation. (Vol.I, p.5) The recommendations dealing with infrastructure, regulations and policy are consistent with this. Many details
TRANSPORTATION and issues need to be considered before proceeding with the recommendations. The implementation of the recommendations needs to be guided by Emerson’s visions just as the NTA reflected MacPherson’s vision. Yes, there are two important visions! The first is that transport is just a part of a network; for freight, a part of logistics chains serving domestic and international trade. The public interest and that of shippers and carriers is the performance of the logistics systems. “It is widely understood that a very important factor in Canada’s future competitive success will be how effectively Canadian transportation is integrated into international supply chains.” (p. 9) The vision of the integral nature of transport, in all its forms, with public and shipper decisions affecting the efficiency of logistics services provides the framework for considering the specifics of the report. The second vision is the articulation of the policy process as an exercise in quality management. The need for research to inform public policy has been identified in previous policy reviews. The NTA followed Macpherson’s recommendations for support of research although not with the suggested organization structure. Emerson has gone further than previous reviews. The report articulates a framework and tentative organization structures consistent with the general principles of continuous improvement. Measure performance, evaluate and innovate so that performance can be improved continuously. No more periodic reviews. Emerson states “…the changes the Review has proposed to the governance of the transportation system and the decision-making processes related to it are intended to allow for a more holistic approach -- one that promotes a higher level of collaboration and coordination of effort, long-term thinking, more comprehensive data collection, and better priority-setting.” (p. 88) This policy vision is captured in Figure 1 of the report. It is the visions to guide future directions of transport policy which are the fundamental value in the Emerson
Firgure 1: Transportation dialogue and collaborative approach that includes the entirety of Canada’s multimodal system. Source: Pathways: Connecting Canada’s Transportation System to the World
report. Yes, there is a large list of specific recommendations necessary to help deal with issues that have been generally known. Many were set down in the terms of reference. The visions for all to have in mind when considering future actions are the fundamental contribution of this report. It is not “Just Another Review.” It looks beyond fixes! This leaves much to be done in formulating specific policies and legislation.
A concept that requires considerable articulation is the “Centre of Excellence on Transportation Logistics and Innovation.” Likely a virtual centre composed of a network of hubs each selected on the basis of excellence in its research capability and linkage with major transport and logistics challenges. Vancouver has the potential to be the lead hub given the record of its universities in transportation and logistics research and the importance of the Vancouver gateway.
May 2016 BC Shipping News 31
PORTS
Upcoming Harbour Master Congress focuses on port expansion By Niamh Horan, Project Manager, IHMA Congress 2016
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papers focus on the opportunities and challenges facing the Harbour Master today and also address the issues of how Harbour Masters, who are the key custodians of port safety and the environment, balance these responsibilities with the challenges of port expansion and increasing vessel size. The three-day conference will examine a range of key themes facing port operators today including: Planning and Infrastructure; How Ports Operate Expanded Facilities; Social Acceptance; Harbour Master Special Interest; and Marine Labour. The program will outline local and international case studies on the central theme of the challenges of port expansion, as well as delivering more traditional updates in marine operations, security, environment and technology.
The program
The program features papers from a range of industry representatives and keynote presentations from some of the most influential organizations in the industry. Captain Kevin Richardson, President of the IHMA, will open the Congress alongside Chris Wellstood, Director of Marine Operations and
Photo courtesy IHMA / Tourism Vancouver
ort Expansion — The Challenges will form the central theme of the upcoming 10th International Harbour Masters’ Association Congress which will take place at the Pinnacle Hotel Vancouver Harbourfront from May 30 to June 2. This year marks the 10th Congress but also the 20th year since the inception of the Association and the Congress Project Management team plan to celebrate in style and deliver the best Congress yet. The International Harbour Masters’ Association (IHMA) is a non-profit professional body that unites Harbour Masters from around the world. With more than 200 members in 40 countries, the Association strives to bring together all those who hold a managerial position in aspects of the control of Marine Operations within a port. Past Congresses have been held in Reykjavik, Amsterdam, Dubai, Cape Town, Bremen, Malta, St Petersburg, Perth, Cork and Bruges. Taking place in the fourth largest port in North America, the 2016 IHMA Congress program appeals to Harbour Masters from ports across all levels of the industry spectrum. Congress
Conference attendees will get an opportunity to tour Vancouver Harbour.
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Security and Harbour Master at Port of Vancouver. Peter Xotta, Vice President, Planning and Operations, Port of Vancouver, will give a keynote address on ‘Charting a Course toward Long-term Growth and Sustainability.’ This will shortly be followed by a keynote speech from RAdm Roger Girouard, Assistant Commissioner, Western Region, Canadian Coast Guard, on ‘From the High Seas to your Harbour.’ The discussion on Planning and Infrastructure will continue for the remainder of the first day where there will be presentations from a range of organizations including the Harbour Masters of Port of Québec (CAN) and Port of Cork (IRE), the Director for Environmental Assessment from Port of Prince Rupert (CAN), and the Marine Operations General Manager of Gladstone Ports Corporation Limited (AUS). Captain Stephen Brown, immediate past President of the Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia, will open the second day of the program with a keynote address on ‘Western Canadian Port Expansion — The Challenges and Opportunities.’ Captain Brown will be followed by a keynote address from Francis Zachariae, Secretary-General, International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (FRA), who will cover ‘The Expanding Role of VTS including the Impact of e-Navigation.’ The discussion on how ports operate expanded facilities and the challenges and opportunities this brings will continue with presentations from the General Manager of Operations from Pilbara Ports Authority (AUS), the Harbour Master of Port of Prince Rupert (CAN), the Harbour Master of Port of Hamburg (GER), and the Harbour Master of Port of London Authority (UK).
PORTS Discussions will continue into the third day with Harbour Master Special Interest and Marine Labour on the agenda. Captain Simon Pelletier, President, International Marine Pilots Association will give a keynote address on ‘Megaships, advanced Pilot Technology and the prospects for e-Navigation.’ He will be joined by the Ports and Shipping Administrator from the OECD, the Harbour Master of Fremantle Ports (AUS), the Head of the Maritime College of Ireland, the Harbour Master of Port of Newcastle (AUS) and a representative from the Australian Maritime College at the University of Tasmania (AUS).
Networking and social activities
The conference will run alongside an exciting networking program. There will be an Official Welcome Reception held at the historic Vancouver Rowing Club; Exhibition Networking Drinks; and The Official Congress Dinner, the social highlight of the week, which will take place at the Terminal City Club. The Congress Dinner is the perfect ending to three days of networking, knowledge sharing and strategic planning. There is also a Partners Program for any other halves that make the journey to Vancouver, too. Activities will include private tours of the Vancouver area, Whistler Village and the local wineries. Following the conclusion of the Congress proceedings, attendees have the opportunity to embark on a tour of the current facilities of Port of Vancouver on the morning of June 2. Enjoy a guided waterborne tour of the busiest and most diverse port in Canada.
has all the necessary practical knowledge required to advise and assist directors, senior management and service providers on what may work best in his/her own port. Further to the practical knowledge, HMs should be able to function at the senior management level when appraising development plans, compiling planning applications and working with financial institutions to assist them in understanding the dynamics of their particular ports.” Captain O’Regan further said: “Congress gives a fantastic opportunity for HMs and other port professionals to meet and discuss new initiatives and common issues that are being experienced right across the industry. It is also an opportunity to build up a valuable network of HMs and friends that will assist and offer advice when possible, in the future.” If you are interested in learning more about the 10th IHMA Congress, check out the website www.globalportoperations. com or join us on LinkedIn at www.globalportoperations. com/linkedin. Your involvement would heighten the spotlight on the innovation in this region and the IHMA is delighted to be able to offer you and your organization a $200CAD saving on Congress registration! To take up this offer, enter promo code: CLC10 upon completing your online registration at www.globalportoperations. com/clc. We hope to see you there!
See you in Vancouver
Captain Kevin Richardson, IHMA President is excited to welcome everyone to Vancouver saying: “The Association’s biennial ‘flagship’ event is important for all sorts of reasons: it will help you get up-to-date with developments in the industry in a convivial atmosphere where you have the opportunity to meet like-minded colleagues.” Captain Richardson also encourages, not only members of IHMA, but also non-members and industry professionals to “make your attendance a priority, for all these good reasons, and not least because it will be a thoroughly enjoyable event in a splendid location. Indeed, it will be the first such congress to take place in North America.” Harbour Masters from around the world will gather to discuss the key themes and issues mentioned above. One such Harbour Master is Port of Cork Company’s Captain Paul O’Regan who will be attending and presenting a paper at the Congress. When asked about the central theme of the Congress, Port Expansion — The Challenges, Captain O’Regan told us: “Ports are expanding to cope with larger and faster cargo throughputs in a very competitive market. Channels are being deepened, berths are being constructed and cargo handling equipment is bigger and advancing towards automation.” When it comes to future expansion of the port and demands on the Harbour Master role, Captain O’Regan says “The HM
Dave aboard the CSL Tecumseh “Action Photography - everywhere!”
“Dave’s not just a photographer, he’s an artist.” Jane McIvor, Publisher BC Shipping News
May 2016 BC Shipping News 33
ENVIRONMENT
Underwater noise: Explanations and possible solutions Véronique Nolet Green Marine
...since hydrophones (underwater recorders) have been installed at various locations, we have realized that the underwater environment is far from silent.
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oise is one of the most common occupational health hazards, and, nowadays, many regulations limit noise emissions in noisy environments. But what about noise in marine environments? It was long believed that a marine environment was silent, with only the sound of the waves, air bubbles, and whale “singing” that enriched the aquatic sound environment. However, since hydrophones (underwater recorders) have been installed at various locations, we have realized that the underwater environment is far from silent. Sound sources are highly diversified, with origins that are natural/geophysical (the sound of waves, wind, storms, earthquakes, ice cracking, etc.), biological (vocalizations of species that emit sounds, e.g., whales, seals, shellfish, fish, etc.) and human (ships, port construction, sonar use, etc.). Combined, these sounds make the ambient noise very significant in some parts of the world. Sound travels in waves and is measured by its frequency (Hertz - Hz) and amplitude (decibels - dB). Sounds differ in their frequency (low or high sound), amplitude (power)
34 BC Shipping News May 2016
and emission duration (continuous/ pulsed or chronic/short-term). In a marine environment, vessels are among the main low-frequency noise generators — that is, frequencies from 10 to 1,000 Hz, emitted continuously. A ship has many sound sources: water lapping at the bow, bow thrusters, machinery, and especially the propeller. When a propeller rotates, it generates water movement, the fluid accelerates, and a low-pressure area results (Bernoulli’s principle). This automatically causes cavitation: the formation of thousands of bubbles that implode as they return to a high-pressure area, creating low-frequency noise. The mechanical shock produced by the bubbles may cause premature propeller damage by creating zones of increased erosion. The frequency range of human hearing is limited and generally corresponds to a frequency scale of 20 and 20,000 Hz. Below 20 Hz, a sound is considered an infrasound (i.e. at the lower level of human audibility) and above 20,000 Hz we speak of ultrasound (i.e. at the upper level of human hearing). Marine species also have specific hearing ranges.
Certain species hear and communicate using a particular frequency range, a scale that can vary among groups of the same species. Take whales, for example. Baleen whales (blue whales, fin whales, right whales, etc.) primarily use lower frequencies, while toothed whales (sperm whales, killer whales, belugas, dolphins, etc.) mainly use much higher frequencies and can go beyond 150,000 Hz because of their echolocation capabilities. As a result, human activity generating sounds at different frequencies will not affect all species the same way. Another very important noise-related element to consider is the types of impact sounds can have on a given species. While some sounds may cause serious physical injury, compromising an animal’s survival (e.g. high-amplitude sounds such as sonar or the use of air guns), others will harm individuals’ regular activities. Vessels are among the noise sources primarily responsible for disturbing normal activities, displacing individual animals, increasing the stress hormone levels of individuals, and for the communications masking phenomenon that results in the inability of the animals to communicate with each other because of excessive ambient noise. Think of the challenge of trying to communicate with someone a few seats away during a rock concert. Then, imagine that you had to communicate some crucial information, such as a threat to survival.
ENVIRONMENT Within an aquatic environment, species use sound much like land-based species use sight: to communicate, escape predators, find prey, reproduce, eat, roam, etc. Living in a noisy environment could jeopardize the survival of certain populations. Unlike other environmental issues, the beneficial effects of reducing noise (from all sources) would be immediate. So, it is worthwhile to seriously explore potential solutions.
New Green Marine performance indicators
Various initiatives are already underway to better understand how noise affects species and to encourage the shipping industry to reduce its noise emissions. Green Marine’s North American environmental certification program for the maritime industry is among these leading efforts. Two new performance indicators are currently being developed to deal exclusively with the issue of underwater noise. One indicator will apply to ship owners and the other one to ports
and terminals. Green Marine’s West Coast Advisory Committee mandated a working group to establish the fivelevel criteria for both indicators. The working group consists of representatives from the industry, NGOs, the scientific and academic community, and regulators. The new indicators will be included in Green Marine’s 2016 selfevaluation guides. Green Marine began working on this emerging issue at the same time as Transport Canada wanted to look more closely at underwater noise. It was a logical step, based on their Memorandum of Co-operation, to collaborate. Discussions prompted an agreement with Transport Canada that involved Green Marine providing insight on underwater noise generated by shipping and its effects on marine life, as well as potential solutions. Green Marine presented Transport Canada with a report in April 2016. The work for Transport Canada provided detailed information about underwater noise, including the various techniques for measurement, the noise
impacts on marine life, current international regulations and/or guidelines pertaining to underwater noise, as well as existing and pending research for addressing the identified issues. Green Marine is now finalizing the indicators for its environmental program using a significant amount of the information gathered for this report.
On the GreenTech 2016 radar
The marine environment will also be featured during Green Marine ninth annual conference, GreenTech 2016, in Quebec City, this May 30 to June 1. An entire session has been dedicated to focusing on the harmonious co-existence of ships and marine mammals. The diversified presentations will address ways of reducing risks of whaleship collisions, innovative research partnerships, the first description of the fish community inhabiting the fluvial St. Lawrence navigational channel, and the findings of the Port of Vancouver on better understanding and mitigating underwater noise with an underwater listening station.
In addition to natural/geophysical and biological sources, sounds from ships and other human activities can have an impact on a whale’s survivability.
May 2016 BC Shipping News 35
MERCY SHIPS
Connecting the davits By JoJo Beattie, Mercy Ships Canada The standard became so common that shipyard specifications now specifically call for Schat-type davits.
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astor Riemerdine Ayling-Schat from Markham, Ontario, began giving to international medical charity Mercy Ships in 1997. Recently, the 84-yer-old Ayling-Schat received a card in the mail from Mercy Ships Canada asking if she would like to take part in a bike-a-thon to raise money to support the charity’s current field service in Madagascar. Looking at the card, Ayling-Schat found herself overcome with emotion. It was not because she was unable (due to her age) to participate in the 20km bike ride, but rather that the MV Africa Mercy pictured on the card holds deep personal meaning and memories. The vessel, shown with orange-covered lifeboats hanging on davits, symbolizes a very important part of Ayling-Schat’s family history. Her father, A.P. Schat, was the inventor of the davits. Davits are crane-like devices used on ships for supporting, raising and lowering boats and anchors. Invented by AylingSchat’s father back before the Second World War, the Titanic tragedy was his inspiration to invent a system where lifeboats could be independently lowered even if a ship is tilted sideways. Schat patented a number of systems in 1926 that allowed the lifeboat to glide over obstructions on a ship’s hull, known as the “Schat Skate.” This was followed by a self-braking winch system that allowed the lifeboat to be lowered evenly. The standard became so common that shipyard specifications now specifically call for Schat-type davits. Similar systems developed by Schat companies are used on offshore oil or gas rigs, being placed around the structure for use in an emergency.
Schat davits, now a common standard, greatly improve safety at sea.
36 BC Shipping News May 2016
In addition to the davits, Schat pioneered the concept of covered, orange lifeboats opposed to the traditional open, white lifeboats. Insistent that his lifeboat would improve the chances of survival in an emergency, he “hitch-hiked” by life boat from Norway to the Mediterranean by sea to prove his point. He did it first in a white boat, recording the length of time it would take for him to be spotted by a passing ship, and then he went a second time in an orange boat. The orange boat was much more visible among the white tipped waves, and the covered boat provided protection from the elements which was often the cause of further fatalities for ship-wreck survivors. The Africa Mercy now boasts four of these lifeboats, two 50-persons and two 150-persons. Although the ship is docked in port for the majority of the year, crew need to be prepared to leave at any time. In Tamatave, Madagascar, where the ship is currently docked, cyclone season runs from November to April. During these months there is a greater chance that the Africa Mercy may need to leave the port to avoid an approaching storm. Fortunately, the ship’s lifeboats have only ever been lowered for training purposes, routine safety checks, maintenance and sometimes a friendly lifeboat race in the port! Mercy Ships is set to launch the newest addition to their fleet in 2018. The purpose-built 36,600-GRT hospital ship, with a working name of the Atlantic Mercy, will have a 500-person capacity for international voyages, compared to the Africa Mercy which has a preferred capacity of 200. The new ship will have two partially or fully enclosed lifeboats, two combined rescue/lifeboats and 10 life rafts. The boat davits will be equipped with electrical winches, with each davit set manoeuvred from a station close to the ship’s side and within the rescue crafts. For a crew that puts everything on the line to help people in need, safety in an emergency is a top priority. Mercy Ships crew are all volunteers who donate their time, money and professional skills to save lives in developing nations around the world. Some have experience living and working on boats; others have never set foot on a ship. Regardless of experience, each crew member is provided with special safety training that prepares them for an emergency. This includes training on how to lower and operate the lifeboat system designed by Ayling-Schat’s father. Thanks to A. P. Schat, these boats will ensure Mercy Ships volunteers are protected and safe should the unthinkable happen. Pastor Ayling-Schat may not be taking part in the bike-athon, but she will continue to support Mercy Ships, and look on with pride as her father’s work continues to save lives on the high seas.
LIFEBOATS
Update on Steveston Lifeboat
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n December 11, 2014, the Steveston Lifeboat was on a training exercise with the Canadian Lifeboat Institution (CLI) when she ran into a seawall on the Fraser River. Fourteen crew were unharmed and rescued. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for the 70-year-old iconic vessel. “She sank at an angle with about three quarters under the waterline — her starboard side was completely under water,” John Horton told BC Shipping News when we took a trip out to Shelter Island Marina recently to see how boat repairs were faring. The damage was extensive — a hole in the starboard hull; all electronics, control equipment, wiring and instrumentation save one radar were lost; the bridge, the bunks, the cabin…all with major water damage. Much has been done over the past year to bring the vessel back to its original condition. The hull has been repaired and the bridge rebuilt; all of the insulation and deckheads were taken out and the wiring replaced; the fo’c’sle is being rebuilt and the two double bunks have been replaced and repainted; and a new hot water tank was installed and, while not directly related to the accident, Horton decided to take the opportunity to install new fuel tanks.
“She sank at an angle with about three quarters under the waterline — her starboard side was completely under water...” There is still more to do — outfitting the deck and adding the glass shield for the bridge; installation of new control equipment, the steering system and connecting the wiring to equipment; painting and re-installation of the deckheads. “We got lucky with the engine,” Horton said. “Cullen Diesel flushed it out, reworked the injectors and
reported that it was in good condition.” So while that good news assisted in saving upwards of $20,000, Horton noted that there were a few other issues, like some wood rot, that while not directly related to the accident, still needed to be addressed. More assistance from the marine industry came from Furuno, through
May 2016 BC Shipping News 37
LIFEBOATS To help raise funds, John and Mary have set up a crowdfunding page on the website www.gofundme.com/lifeboat. Maritime Services and Paul Christensen. “They managed to save our main 75-mile radar which saved us about $15,000,” Horton said. He also spoke highly of the work being done by Commodore Yachts. “They have been fantastic — they’re doing a lot of the work on the hull in return for an original painting. And the quality of their work is very good — they’re very professional.” While vessel repairs are almost done, a lack of funding has prevented the final pieces from being completed. “There is about another month’s worth of work to be done,” Horton said, “but we’re about $50,000 short so we’ve had to delay until the funding can be found.” Through insurance, donations and much of John and wife Mary’s own money, $320,000 has already been put toward repairs. In addition, hundreds of hours of work have been donated by volunteers and CLI crew. “But what many people don’t realize is that the boat is privately owned and only volunteered into service for the CLI,” Horton explained. “Because of
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38 BC Shipping News May 2016
John Horton stands on the deck of the Steveston Lifeboat — lack of funding for repairs is hampering progress to get her back on patrols.
their charity status, there are rules that don’t permit them to fund repairs for a private vessel.” To assist Horton with the repairs, the CLI has set up a dedicated fund for donations that will help pay for some of the electronics, but unless specifically requested, regular donations for the charity cannot be used. The loss of the Steveston Lifeboat means that the Canadian Lifeboat Institution cannot operate to its full potential. In addition to missing the herring fishery off Comox in March, the CLI is limited in other areas such as training because of the loss of the Steveston Lifeboat. “The Fraser Lifeboat can’t accommodate long trips like this one can,” Horton said. “There are no sleeping or cooking facilities onboard so the distance for voyages is restricted.” CLI isn’t the only one who’ll be missing the Steveston Lifeboat. Numerous companies and their vessels on the Fraser River — Seaspan Ferries, tugs, fishing vessels and recreational boaters — have come to rely on the Steveston Lifeboat for escorts, rescues and assistance. “The CLI has been involved in over 4,000 incidents since 1981 and this vessel since 1988,” Horton noted. “The CLI, and by extension, the Steveston Lifeboat, has been a key resource for many vessels on the Fraser River — if we had not been there, events for some may have unfolded quite differently, especially during busy commercial fisheries.” To help raise funds, John and Mary have set up a crowdfunding page on the website www.gofundme.com/lifeboat. They are also selling some of John’s paintings to help pay for repairs. “We can’t give tax receipts but we can give art,” he said. “And if they buy the painting through their company, it can be written off as a Class 8 asset which is actually better than a tax receipt.” BC Shipping News encourages the shipping community to help restore the Steveston Lifeboat so that it can get back to work on the Fraser River. To learn more, visit www.gofundme. com or view artwork available at www.johnhorton.ca. BCSN
June 2-3, 2016 Pier A Harbor House, New York To register, visit www.ferrysafetyconference.squarespace.com
SHIPBUILDING
Meridian Marine proves itself with floating power plant
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or the past year, Meridian Marine has been working on an innovative self-floating power plant for the owners of Water Wall Turbine Inc. (WWT). The project — the first major new build undertaken by Meridian — proves that the shipyard on the North Fraser River is capable of taking on much more than repairs. And given the size of the vessel — a 17-by-28-metre catamaran-style barge (comparable to the size of Translink’s Seabus) which houses a 35-tonne Brevini power transmission c/w generator – Meridian is now in a position to chase other new build work, including barges, tugs, fishing vessels, small ferries and even Canadian Coast Guard vessels under 1,000 tonnes.
enough to be cost effective and reliable enough to be commercially viable. Small-scale testing began in 2004 — initial tests showed that it was possible to extract large energies from currents if the correct design is applied. From the success of those initial tests, Sredzki and Botha set about securing patents, conducting proto tests and, finally, building a definitive scaled turbine model for ocean testing that verified the efficiency of the energy harvesting method. With assistance from Natural Resources Canada’s ecoENERGY Innovation Initiative and the Clean Energy Fund, WWT’s team, along with naval architect Ivan Erdevicki, President, ER Yacht Design, has worked for the last two years, from concept design to construction, to get to this final stage of building a full-scale power plant. The WW Turbine 1 will be installed at Dent Island Lodge, located north of Campbell River, as part of a partnership agreement
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The WW Turbine 1 is the brainchild of Water Wall Turbine Inc. Co-owners Marek Sredzki and Lodewyk Botha began working on a renewable energy concept to produce a power generation plant that, by using water currents and tidal energy, would be robust enough to last many years, simple
The WW Turbine 1 assembled and ready for paint.
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The WW Turbine 1 is moved to the drydock for outfitting.
SHIPBUILDING
From concept to reality
The project for Meridian began in earnest in late May 2015 when both keels were laid. “It’s more than just a barge,” said Jim McFadden, President of Meridian Marine. “We’ve been able to leverage our knowledge, experience and facilities to meet the challenge of constructing this prototype vessel.” McFadden described the steps of the build in sequence, from laying the keels; installation of the bulkheads; fabricating the side shell panels and laying the main deck in place; constructing and erecting panels to form block modules; fabricating the forward and aft end modules which were then lifted and attached to the catamaran hulls; installing the cathodic protection system and the cooling system for the generator; and then moving the vessel onto the drydock for outfitting which included the installation of the bearing pedestal, the shaft and the turbine’s blades. McFadden further described some of the steps that will take the project to completion, including rough alignment of the 30-foot-long shaft to the generator and bearing; and installation of the electrical components and the superstructure. Once the vessel is floated, a final alignment of the generator and bearing will be completed prior to final testing and sea-trials. Given that previous to-scale models have worked, there’s no reason to think the vessel won’t do what it’s built
Photo by Dave Roels (www.daveroels.com)
with the Nordstrom family, owners of the Lodge. For this project, WWT has also developed an innovative Microgrid System and Controls and supplied the most advanced Tesla Energy Storage. Other key suppliers and investors include Brevini Power Transmission, experts in power transmission equipment for wind turbines and others; Tesla Motors who are supplying the battery system; and The Switch, a company that is a pioneer in advanced power conversion technology. In an interview last year with Sredzki, he noted that, based on the success of the Dent Island power plant, two additional projects are pending.
Final steps in completing the WW Turbine 1.
“Building WWT’s first power generation plant has allowed us to prove that we can construct this size of a vessel here at Meridian Marine...” to do. “It’s a well-thought-out concept and plan,” said McFadden of WWT’s project. The vessel is scheduled to be installed and operational at Dent by May 15.
Significance for Meridian
Both McFadden and Tom Ferns, Vice President of Meridian Marine have shipbuilding in their blood. “We both served our apprenticeships as ship fitters,” McFadden said. “Building WWT’s first power generation plant has allowed us to prove that we can construct this size of a vessel here at Meridian Marine,” he said, noting that there was some “thinking outside the box,” planning two to three weeks in advance, and close communications with the owners, designer, suppliers and crew to keep the project on track. Proving that they can take on a build of this size opens up a wide range of opportunities for Meridian. “We can take on new construction inside our facilities, repairs alongside and, of course, we still have our mobile crew,” McFadden noted. “There are many
projects we can handle, including assistance to other yards to build modules here and barge them over to their facilities to assemble.” McFadden also noted that Meridian is now building three LNG fire-fighting skids for Cryopeak and is actively pursuing maintenance contracts and marine construction projects. “The quality of our work is excellent — everything is built using class standards (for example, our welding procedures are classed with Lloyd’s Register),” McFadden said, further noting that Meridian took on eight apprentices for the new building. “We’ve taken young kids and taught them about new building. This is great for the industry here in B.C.” McFadden is also in discussions with UBC’s Jon Mikkelson, Professor with the Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering program to create projects for his students. As for the future, McFadden is optimistic there are at least one or two more power plants in Meridian’s future. BCSN
May 2016 BC Shipping News 41
MARINE ENGINEERS
Ken Harford retires from Robert Allan Ltd.
M
ike Fitzpatrick, President & CEO, and Robert G. Allan, Executive Chairman respectively of Robert Allan Ltd. are both pleased and saddened to announce the imminent retirement, effective May 31, 2016, of Mr. Kenneth D Harford P.Eng, currently Managing Director of the company. Ken grew up in B.C., in both Prince George and in North Vancouver. He graduated from UBC in 1970 with a B.A.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering. He started his career as a consulting Acoustical Engineer, entering a partnership with Dr. Tom Siddon. That business evolved into the consulting firm of Harford Kennedy Ltd. (now BKL Consultants Ltd.), when Doug Kennedy acquired Dr. Siddon’s interest in that company in 1974. Through that business, Ken began a long association with the B.C. tugboat industry. He led a detailed study of the noise levels aboard local tugboats which resulted in new noise control regulations in the industry, and fostered a passion for ensuring that tugs are designed to be as quiet and vibration-free as possible. Ken’s commitment to this subject has been a major factor in leading Robert Allan Ltd. to the situation of prominence in the industry it enjoys today. Initially as an offshoot of the acoustical engineering business, manufacturing specialized acoustical instrumentation, Ken and Doug joined forces with Steve Hui to create Mechtronics Research Corporation in 1975. Soon, Ken moved his engineering talents into the field of manufacturing control systems for Z-drives on tugs with MRC. In 1981, this work evolved into the establishment of IMPEG (Industrial Marine Power Engineering Group) as distributor of Niigata Z-Peller drives using Mechtronics controls. During this period, he was
42 BC Shipping News May 2016
involved in the delivery of many of the first Z-drive tugs on this coast for companies such as C.H. Cates and Sons and Seaspan. In 1986, Ken sold his interests in the acoustical consulting business, Mechtronics, and IMPEG, turning his efforts to engineering design and quality assurance as a consultant to Simpson Power Products Ltd, manufacturers of diesel generator sets for civil and marine projects, and main propulsion installations using Mitsubishi engines. Ken joined Robert Allan Ltd. in 1988, acting principally as the senior project overseer for new construction, and then gradually assuming the role of VP of Engineering, directing all aspects of the mechanical and marine engineering work within the company. In 2008, as Rob Allan began the process of selling Robert Allan Ltd. to the employees, Ken took the leading role in overseeing this transition on behalf of the new ownership group. As the new President of Robert Allan Ltd., Ken applied his exceptional engineering skills and business acumen, doing an exemplary job of setting the business on a new course for long-term success in the future. Ken leaves Robert Allan Ltd. after 28 years of truly dedicated service and leadership, and as a driving force behind the success of the company, now in its 86th year of continuous business in Vancouver. Everyone in this company owes him a great debt of gratitude for all he has contributed to our collective success. Ken’s retirement is not destined to be one of leisure, as his many pursuits in the realm of coastal real estate development, building docks, ramps and floats for his Quarry Bay neighbours, not to mention building a new home for he and his wife Dianne, will keep his creative mind and hands more than busy for many years!
TUGS Robert Allan Ltd. and Sanmar introduce the new VectRA series of Voith tractor tugs Photo courtesy Robert Allan Ltd.
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he new and innovative VectRA 3000 Class tug is a high performance VSP Tractor tug designed by Robert Allan Ltd. in close collaboration with Turkish ship builder Sanmar and Voith Turbo Propulsion. The tug is designed for maximum efficiency in the performance of towing, harbour ship-handling and escorting of large ships. Performance has been verified with extensive model tests at the commencement of the design cycle. The unique propulsion arrangement features high speed diesel engines connected to the Voith units via reduction gearboxes with integral clutches. With a bollard pull of 70 tonnes, the VectRA 3000 form can generate escort steering forces in excess of 100 tonnes. Additionally, the design has fire-fighting and oil recovery capabilities and is fully MLC compliant. The VectRA 3000 has been designed exclusively for Sanmar to offer as one of its highly successful stable of progressive tugboats for the world market. The first vessel in the series, the M/T Ares, built for Italian tug Owner Tripmare S.p.A., was successfully launched at Sanmar’s new Altinova advanced shipbuilding facility in February 2016. The principal particulars of the VectRA 3000 are as follows: • Length overall: 30.25 metres • Length overall, with fenders: 31.10 metres • Breadth, moulded: 13.00 metres • Depth, moulded (hull): 5.10 metres • Navigational draft (design draft): 6.30 metres to bottom skeg/VSP guard • GRT: < 500, international The vessels are built and classed to the following ABS notation: • A1 Towing Vessel, Escort Vessel, AMS, Unrestricted Service, UWILD, HAB (WB), ABCU • Fire-Fighting Vessel Class 1 • Oil Spill Recovery – Capability Class 2 (>60° C) (OSR – C2)
The VectRA 3000 Class tug, with a bollard pull of 70 tonnes, can generate escort steering forces in excess of 100 tonnes.
Rather uniquely for a VSP installation, the propulsion drive train comprises a pair of CAT 3516C high speed diesel engines, each rated 2525 kW at 1800 rpm, and driving Voith 32R5EC/265-2 cycloidal propellers. The engines are connected to the Voith drives through a pair of Reintjes WAF 863 gearboxes and Vulkan composite shafts, rather than using the more traditional turbo coupling. This combination is smaller, lighter and less costly than the traditional medium speed drive system. The electrical plant consists of two identical diesel gensets, each with a rated output of 86 ekW. To enable extended endurance at sea, the vessel has the following tank capacities: • Fuel Oil: 163 m3 • Fresh Water: 55 m3 • Foam: 11 m3 Crew accommodations are all located on the main deck level for optimal crew comfort. There are four single crew cabins plus one double crew cabin, each with an en-suite bathroom. A
comfortable lounge/mess area and galley facilities are also in the deckhouse, with galley stores and laundry room located below the main deck forward. All towing, ship handling, and escort work is performed using a double drum escort winch and escort rated staple fitted on the aft deck. One drum can store 710 metres of steel wire line, while the other stores 150 metres of synthetic towline. For increased operational flexibility radial type tow hooks are installed on the main deck forward and aft. As in a traditional tractor configuration, the stern is the working end of the tug, and as such, features heavy duty cylindrical fendering with a course of ‘W’ fenders below. Hollow ‘D’ fenders protect the sheer lines and tie neatly into the ‘W’ fenders at the bow. The wheelhouse is designed for excellent 360 degree visibility and includes overhead windows. The split type console is biased aft to ensure unobstructed visibility of the working deck (including the winch, staple, bulwarks and fenders) during operations. May 2016 BC Shipping News 43
TECHNOLOGY
Lloyd’s Register releases guidance notes for new technologies
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he future is here. From cyberenabled ships to 3D printing, today’s modern ship is getting bigger, faster and smarter, to say nothing of more efficient with greater environmental sustainability. Getting from concept, through research and development, testing, training and finally, implementation, requires partnerships, investment and detailed guidelines for operators. It is a role well-suited to classification societies and none more so than Lloyd’s Register. Through the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, a U.K. charity dedicated to research and education in science and engineering, a number of technologies are being advanced that will feature prominently in the future of shipping. To follow are two such technologies.
3D printing/additive manufacturing
Additive manufacturing (AM) — or 3D printing — builds objects layer by
layer rather than forming shapes by machining. It is revolutionizing the manufacturing process and, with it, creating many opportunities. Case in point, Maersk and other companies have recently begun trials with printing replacement parts onboard. To assist manufacturers and end users of such equipment, Lloyd’s Register released a Guidance Note for “Additive Manufacturing of Metallic Parts” in January 2016. The document considers goal-based certification guidelines for Laser Metal Deposition (LMD) techniques as well as Laser Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) processes and the application of metal layers on parts during manufacture using LMD techniques. Covering such topics as suitability, organizational requirements, training and qualifications, design, software, control of powder feedstock, build, post processing, inspection and testing, and intellectual property, Lloyd’s joined forces with TWI, a leading engineering
ACCOUNTABILITY l RELIABILITY l SERVICE EXCELLENCE
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research and technology firm, and other industry partners to consider the issues associated with commercializing AM while mitigating risks associated with such a complex technology.
Cyber-enabled ships
In February 2016, Lloyd’s released their first Guidance Note on “Deploying Information and Communications Technology in Shipping.” Information and communications technology (ICT) has advanced to such a stage where cyber-enabled ships are now a reality and, while there is great potential to enhance safety and reliability, there are risks that need to be identified, understood and mitigated. Essentially, a cyber system is ‘a system of systems.’ It incorporates such things as the navigation systems, radar, communication systems, integrated bridge systems, and control systems for a wide range of electro-mechanical systems for enhanced monitoring, communication and connection capabilities so that ships can be accessed by remote onshore services anytime, anywhere. The Guidance Note is very clear on a recommended approach to development of the technology: “Because a cyber-enabled ship consists of multiple, interconnected systems, and because of the rapid pace of technology development, assuring that a cyber-enabled ship will be safe cannot be prescriptive, and cannot rely on knowledge gained from previous systems. Instead, it requires a ‘total systems’ approach — one that takes account of all the different systems on board and on shore, how they are designed and installed, how they connect and how they will be managed.” Lloyd’s identifies six areas of risk that need to be managed and mitigated while developing a cyber-enabled ship. System — General system considerations must include the identification of those functions that are critical to safe
TECHNOLOGY operations. Risks must be identified and manufacturers must demonstrate that a risk-based analysis has been performed and risks can be minimized through mitigation, avoidance, transferal or acceptance for all normal and reasonably foreseeable abnormal conditions. Furthermore, risks that go beyond the ship — i.e., where ICT systems are connected to remote services and systems on shore, must address the additional complexities. Human-system — While many benefits from ICT systems can be realized for the operation of a ship, issues that must be considered go beyond user interface. Systems that assist or even replace the traditional seafarer and shore-based tasks must be tested for dependability and reliability. This includes taking into account changed expectations and responsibilities placed on users to operate the systems as well as the cumulative effect of all changes in terms of situational awareness and training. Network and communications considerations — While stand-alone systems are expected to be safe and secure, these systems must be tested as part of a suite of systems in a platform environment. Issues to be considered include ensuring network components are of the right standard and an appropriate level of spares (cables, switches, etc.) for critical infrastructure are kept on board; suitable maintenance and support is in place; internal networks have sufficient capacity; ship staff have the access and facilities to prioritize the available communications bandwith to ensure that safety or business-critical systems can be given priority; data transfer is carried out fast enough to ensure the safety and security of the ship. Software — In addition to ensuring software production and maintenance meet national or international standards, it is important — especially when there is a high level of software integration — that engineering processes take into account the complexities of software, its failure mechanisms (i.e., systematic errors that cause undesired behaviour) and the fact that general-purpose
software components may be provided by third parties. Data assurance — During the system design stage, organizations must address key criteria, such as integrity, availability, authentication, confidentiality, authorization, non-repudiation, and data properties that preserve safety. Cyber security — An essential component of the cyber-enabled ship is to ensure critical maritime systems are guarded against disruptions and service denial, especially against “malicious exploitation.” Lloyd’s notes that “The maritime industry is increasingly dependent on technology to communicate, organize, streamline and digest information; a situation exacerbated by the proliferation of autonomous shipboard systems and increased remote monitoring. The element that makes the marine environment unique when facing cyber threats is connectivity.”
More to follow
3D printing and cyber-enabled ships are just two technologies that will change the shipping industry in the future. In September last year, Lloyd’s published Global Marine Technology Trends 2030, in which new technologies in the areas of commercial shipping, naval, and ocean space were explored in detail. Overall, the document assesses 18 technologies that could have tranformational effects on the maritime sector. Some of the concepts explored include big data analytics (volumes of data so large or complex that traditional processing techniques will not be suitable); autonomous systems and “smart ships”; advanced materials; advances in shipbuilding technologies; and sustainable energy generation to name just a few. By putting each technology into the context of the three areas (commercial shipping, naval, and ocean space), Lloyd’s outlines a world transformed. One which requires careful study and thoughtful consideration of the risks, opportunities and challenges, and benefits of future advancements. May 2016 BC Shipping News 45
LEGAL AFFAIRS
If in doubt, don’t throw it out
Forsey v. Burin Peninsula Marine Service Center By Megan Nicholls A Vancouver lawyer with Bernard LLP Photo credit: Dave Roels
Among other interesting legal points, this case highlights the importance of preserving key evidence after an incident has occurred.
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cautionary tale for ship repairers and ship owners alike is recounted by the Court of Appeal in Forsey v. Burin Peninsula Marine Service Center, 2015 FCA 216. Among other interesting legal points, this case highlights the importance of preserving key evidence after an incident has occurred. In particular, it illustrates the legal concept of “spoliation” — the intentional destruction of evidence relevant to ongoing or contemplated litigation, where a reasonable inference can be drawn that the evidence was destroyed to affect the litigation. In this case, the Plaintiff, Maxwell Forsey, owned the commercial fishing vessel Eastern Gambler (“Vessel”). The Defendant was Burin Peninsula Marine Service Center (“Burin”), a Fortune, Newfoundland and Labrador vessel storage and repair outfit. During the summer of 2011, Mr. Forsey brought the Vessel to Burin for routine maintenance. She was lifted from the water by Mr. Forsey’s employees and a cradle was constructed to secure her. Cribbing material was transported from Burin’s storage area to the vicinity of the Vessel. Mr. Forsey’s employees supplied and installed the keel blocks that were used to keep her upright. Two pieces of 46 BC Shipping News May 2016
“cribbing” supported each side of the Vessel. Once she was cradled, Burin’s employees performed general maintenance and repairs to the Vessel over the following few weeks. In the early morning of July 10, 2011, heavy winds swept through the Burin Peninsula. A retired truck driver, who happened to be on Burin’s premises, heard a loud noise and shortly thereafter saw the Vessel lying on the ground on its starboard side. Burin’s employees worked to minimize the damage to the Vessel, staunching the oil leaking from the engines, up-righting it using a hydraulic lift, and re-cradling it. However, the Vessel had suffered serious structural damage and was declared a total loss as a result of the fall. Mr. Forsey sued Burin, alleging (inter alia) that Burin was a bailee and thus responsible for the safe storage of the Vessel which had been placed in Burin’s care, custody and control, and that it had failed to discharge its duty of care. In particular, it alleged that Burin had failed to install sufficient cradle supports to ensure the safety of the Vessel, that it had failed to install additional cradle supports when it ought to have been aware of the weather forecast, and that it had failed to supply adequate
and proper cradling materials. Burin responded, inter alia, that it was Mr. Forsey’s responsibility to build the cradle to secure the Vessel. At trial, Heneghan J. found there was a bailment, wherein Mr. Forsey, as bailor, entrusted possession of the Vessel to Burin as a bailee. Where a bailment is found to exist, the civil burden shifts to the bailee to prove that it was not negligent in the manner in which it dealt with the Plaintiff’s property: The “Ruapehu” (1925), 21 LI.L Rep. 310 (Eng. C.A.). She further found that Burin was responsible for providing and selecting the material for the cradle and securing the Vessel. However, the fitness of these materials was a key issue in determining the question of negligence. Regrettably for Burin, the evidence at trial respecting the fitness of the cribbing was mixed. Bruin’s manager, Mr. Ayres, gave evidence that in June 2011, Burin stopped charging customers for cribbing as it was too expensive to maintain same, but it was unclear whether Burin intended to charge Mr. Forsey for the cribbing. Either way, the Trial Judge found this new policy did not absolve Burin of the responsibility to provide adequate materials. The court ultimately found that the cribbing materials were no longer being maintained and that they were stored outside where they were exposed to wind, rain, snow and sun. Mr. Forsey testified that he had not been warned about the quality of the cribbing materials.
LEGAL AFFAIRS The Trial Judge further found that Mr. Ayres had intentionally disposed of relevant evidence in order to thwart the respondent’s investigation into the loss. In doing so, she applied the law of spoliation. To make out a case of spoliation, one must establish on a balance of probabilities: 1. The missing evidence is relevant; 2. The missing evidence must have been destroyed intentionally; 3. At the time of destruction, litigation must have been ongoing or contemplated; and 4. It must be reasonable to infer that the evidence was destroyed in order to affect the outcome of the litigation (Nova Growth Corp. v. Kepinski, 2014 ONSC 2763, at para. 296). As to the third part of the test, the litigation need not have actually commenced; but may be contemplated or reasonably foreseeable: Blais v. the Toronto Area Transit Operating Authority (2011), 105 O.R. (3d) 575, at para. 72. Spoliation gives rise to a rebuttable presumption that the evidence would be unfavourable to the party who destroyed the evidence. The presumption can be rebutted by proving that the spoliator did not intend to destroy evidence relevant to existing or contemplated litigation: McDougall v. Black & Decker Canada Inc., [2009] 1 W.W.R. 257, paras. 16 – 18. Respecting Burin’s intention to destroy the damaged cribbing, the evidence at trial was also mixed. At trial, Mr. Ayres testified that the cribbing remained under the Vessel, and then was taken to the other side of the yard “the next day or on the 11th or 12th.” Then it was kept for a couple of weeks until the discovery of a leak of fuel oil. However, at his earlier examination for discovery, Mr. Ayres testified that the cribbing had remained beside the Vessel for about one week. Two days after the Incident, a surveyor, Mr. Byrne, looked for the damaged cribbing with Mr. Forsey and found only one piece. Having regard to these inconsistencies, the Trial Judge preferred the evidence of
Mr. Forsey and held that the cribbing was removed with an intention that it not be available for inspection. On appeal, Burin argued that there was no evidence to support the Trial Judge’s finding that Mr. Ayres had intentionally disposed of relevant evidence, and that it had not been given the opportunity to rebut the presumption of same. The standard of review for an issue of procedural fairness is correctness, whereas the standard of review for a factual issue is “palpable and overriding error,” which is much harder to meet. As such, Burin tried to frame the issue as one of procedural fairness, but the appeal court found that it was a factual issue and would not disturb the Trial Judge’s finding on that point. Instead, it found that Burin had been given many opportunities to respond to Mr. Forsey’s argument that he was entitled to an inference that Burin had spoiled the evidence, and indeed Burin had done so (albeit unsuccessfully) at trial. The Court of Appeal made some additional comments respecting the issue of spoliation. Because the Trial Judge found that Burin was a bailee of Mr. Forsey, a finding that Burin intentionally disposed of the evidence was not necessary to dispose of the case. Once Mr. Forsey had established a bailment, the burden of proving that the Vessel had been damaged without Burin’s negligence shifted to Burin. To discharge its burden, Burin had to satisfy the Judge that the materials supplied were sound enough to support the
cradle. However, without being able to produce the damaged materials, Burin was unable to meet its burden. The appeal court held that whether or not Burin removed and destroyed the materials intentionally had no effect on the burden which it had to meet in order to disprove the Judge’s inference, but nevertheless, the destruction of this critical evidence was highly prejudicial to Burin’s case. The court went on to note that “having carefully reviewed the evidence, I would have been very reluctant to conclude that Mr. Ayres and [his] employees had intentionally removed and destroyed the evidence” (at para. 56). In other words, even if Burin had escaped the Trial Judge’s finding that it intentionally destroyed key evidence, as a bailor, its burden was to prove it was not negligent. Although in theory Burin might have proved its due care in ensuring the cribbing was fit without evidence of the actual cribbing, with all the other inconsistent evidence surrounding the fitness and disposal of same, it was unable to defend its case and was on the hook for upwards of $270,000 in damages. The moral of this story is that the removal or destruction of potential evidence can be highly prejudicial to one’s case. Consideration of what materials, equipment, or other property might be useful in proving or defending potential claims ought to be done immediately following an incident, and it is prudent to take whatever steps necessary to preserve any such evidence.
BC SHIPPING NEWS
Commercial Marine News for Canada’s West Coast.
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www.bcshippingnews.com May 2016 BC Shipping News 47
MARITIME SAFETY
Piracy, geopolitics in South China Sea threaten global trade By Brett Witthoeft Maritime Forces Pacific, Department of National Defence
...there are several maritime security issues that hold the possibility of disrupting the efficient flow of global commerce, and potentially upending Canadians’ daily lives.
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the Strait of Malacca, which sees over 50,000 ships transit annually, including tankers carrying tens of millions of barrels of oil to the hydrocarbonpoor economies of Northeast Asia. The continued free flow of this shipping is essential not just to the region, but to global economies, as raw materials are transformed into individual parts, shipped and assembled on factory floors in North and Southeast Asia, and distributed to showrooms and sales racks in North America and Europe, often on just-in-time schedules. Any disruption in these links is sure to have follow-on effects further down the chain. An example of how such disruption could play out comes from the Horn of Africa. In June 2011, during the height of Somali piracy, Lloyd’s Joint War Committee placed the region on its War Risk List, declaring it a high-risk area for shipping. As a result of this recommendation, marine insurers dramatically
Photo source: Google Earth
s BC Shipping News readers well know, maritime issues matter. Although the majority of Canada’s trade is with the U.S., it doesn’t always travel overland. The International Chamber of Shipping says that 90 per cent of world trade is carried by sea, a point that is expertly developed by British journalist Rose George in her 2013 book, Ninety Percent of Everything. For better or worse, global shipping sails smoothly the vast majority of the time, rendering it effectively invisible to the general public; the lamentation of Canadian “sea blindness” is not uncommon. However, there are several maritime security issues that hold the possibility of disrupting the efficient flow of global commerce, and potentially upending Canadians’ daily lives. The majority of these maritime security issues lie in the Asia-Pacific. The region is home to one of the busiest maritime chokepoints in the world,
Itu Aba Island, where Taiwan has built an airstrip, is one of the many disputed islands within the Spratly Island chain in the South China Sea.
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increased premiums for ships transiting the region, sometimes as much as 300 times the original rate. This placed shippers in the unenviable position of either paying the higher premiums (and possibly equipping their ships with antipirate defences), or rerouting to longer routes; either choice resulted in an undesirable cost, which was eventually passed on to consumers. Maritime piracy has been a similar problem in Southeast Asia, particularly around the eastern end of the Strait of Malacca. Although piracy was sharply curtailed in the region thanks, in part, to anti-piracy efforts by Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, the International Maritime Bureau, which tracks piratical attacks, warned in 2015 that Southeast Asia is again becoming the world piracy hotspot, thus raising the risk of insurance costs rising in a similar manner. Meanwhile, larger geopolitics are at play in the South China Sea. The region is home to about 250 land features of varying sizes, which are claimed by no fewer than seven different countries, each reinforcing their claims to these features in various ways. These features are not necessarily important in and of themselves, but control of them and their surrounding waters means access to important resources, such as oil, gas, and seabed minerals. Most often in the news is China’s seizure and rapid buildup of such features over the past three years, to the point where they are fullsized islands, capable of hosting runways, radar fields, and warship-sized jetties. China’s activities have prompted other regional claimants to do the same (albeit to a much lesser degree), creating a sort of island build-up race. Experts, such as the US Naval War College’s Peter Dutton, are warning that China’s building efforts in particular may be part of a larger effort by Beijing to
MARITIME SAFETY control the South China Sea. This has plying those waters, hauling in about 20 sparked alarm not only in the region, per cent of all the fish caught globally. but outside as well. The U.S., which Aside from the local economic activity, claims some attachment to the USD Canada benefits from such hard work, $1.2 trillion of the $5.3 trillion that having imported 170 million kilograms passes through the South China Sea of fish products from Asia in 2015, annually, has been conducting very vis- about one-third of total fish imports, ible freedom of navigation operations in according to Statistics Canada. recent months to challenge China, and However, Asia’s strong reliance on Japan, which sees its own oil imports fishing has unfortunately resulted in transit through the region, is sending coastal fisheries becoming overfished, warships and submarines to Vietnam especially along the Chinese coast. This and Philippines. has prompted fishermen of all nationFinally, an often-underreported — alities to sail further from their shores but highly important — issue is fishing. in search of their catch, often working Fish are an important source of food and in waters claimed by other countries, income in Asia, comprising between 8.5 and sometimes clashing with foreign and 22 per cent of people’s daily protein fishermen and coast guards. The issue intake, and employing millions of fish- of illegal fishing has become very public ermen and people in related industries; in recent years, especially in Southeast in Indonesia, fisheries contribute more Asia, where Indonesian President Joko than three per cent of GDP. Indeed, the Widodo lamented in December 2014 South China Sea alone is responsible for that the practice costs his country $20 a significant of these1 12/07/2013 numbers, annually. Indonesia has been BCShipping_Halfportion Page7_875x5_438.pdf 12:23:23billion PM with an estimated 1.72 million boats at the forefront of cracking down on
illegal fishing in its waters, having publicly dynamited over 170 foreign fishing boats caught in its waters over the past two years, but Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam have all greatly stepped up their anti-illegal fishing efforts as well. All told, Asia-Pacific waters have become more unstable in recent years, and Canada, while physically far removed from the region, is not immune to the effects of such instability. So how can such instability be prevented and such maritime disputes be resolved? One way is to become more aware of the issues, and discuss solutions with like-minded individuals. The Maritime Security Challenges 2016 conference (www.mscconference.com), from October 3 to 6 in Victoria, B.C., is one such event, where government officials, naval officers, sailors and industry personnel, can build their knowledge of these issues and develop important relationships with related practitioners.
May 2016 BC Shipping News 49
FERRY SAFETY Ferry Safety and Technology
Opportunity time By Roberta Weisbrod, Executive Director, Worldwide Ferry Safety Association There is increasing recognition...that the safety problem can be solved, thanks to...the nations themselves and the efforts of the IMO, Interferry, and WFSA.
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his is a great time to be alive in the world of shipping — especially ferries. There is a growing market for cost-effective technology for ferries for several reasons: 1. There is increasing recognition on the part of the developing world that the safety problem can be solved, thanks to bootstrapping by the nations themselves and the efforts of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Interferry, and Worldwide Ferry Safety Association (WFSA). Government, academic and industry leaders in Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines have made advances, some of which have achieved international recognition. (Much of their written output can be found on the WFSA website www.ferrysafety.org). Interferry and IMO conducted a pilot project with Bangladesh and have continued follow up activities. 2. Most of the developing nations with ferry safety challenges are increasing their GDP and taking advantage of advanced technology. Bangladesh, Philippines, and Indonesia all fall into this category. 3. Many developing nations are recognizing that ferries will help to alleviate the urban dilemma of congested transportation and are starting linear- and intra-urban ferries while strengthening their intra-national systems. Manila, Lagos, Mumbai, and Dhaka all have nascent and or planned/proposed systems. And as it turns out, by engaging in the developing world market, owners,
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operators and suppliers can access costeffective technologies that can actually expand the market for the developed world. To that end, the Worldwide Ferry Safety Association is bringing together people engaged in advanced practical technologies for the second annual Ferry Safety and Technology conference on June 2-3 at the historic Pier A on the Hudson River in lower Manhattan, New York City. The conference program is based on the solid research conducted by Worldwide Ferry Safety Association and its global partners. WFSA, working with Interferry, has collected information on ferry fatalities since the year 2000 with the database containing 25 data elements. An analysis of the database was recently published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Public Transportation (“Trends, Causal Analysis, and Recommendations from 14 Years of Ferry Accidents, by Abigail
Hotspots for ferry fatalities (2000-2015).
Golden and Roberta Weisbrod). The map below is a geographic representation of the database displays the ferry safety problem hotspots in South Asia, Southeast Asia, East and West Africa. The database is available on our website (www.ferrysafety.org) as are some of our commissioned research papers on selected topics, such as weather, training, and insurance. Analysis of the database shows that stormy weather, high wind speeds, and high sea states have been the contributing cause of over 50 per cent of the incidents and fatalities. Following on that finding, the first annual Ferry Safety and Technology conference last year featured leading experts who spoke about state-of-the-art weather prediction technology. As it turns out, weather prediction on water is robust and reasonably accessible. The issue is hyperlocal weather — what is happening on the water surface right here and in a short time from now. In the months since the conference when this issue was identified, numerous crowdsourcing apps have been developed. The accuracy of the results for the marine environment and for remote offshore ferry routes will be explored in this year’s conference.
FERRY SAFETY has recently installed a mesh system that allows communication between all of its vessels no matter where they are on their route with each other and with headquarters. This peer-to-peer system is designed to solve the problem of shared spectrum — the routers on vessels and base station are co-ordinated so that the signals are strengthened. For this coming year, we will explore the array of applications of such systems while at the same time seeking systems that can go beyond the 10-mile limitations. We will also have a session on crowd counting using technologies and other mobile ticketing applications. Design of vessels is crucial. Last year’s conference included a panel on the issue of improved vessel design. Speakers focused on the issue of dynamic stability — how to design a vessel that can safely handle winds and waves. For this coming year, there will be a focus on new materials for safety and in-time affordability as well as a presentation on
landing design for resilience, safety and affordability. In addition, as we did last year, we plan to invite the winners of the third international student design competition. This year, readers of BC Shipping News will be interested to learn that the team from British Columbia placed first in 2104 and second in 2015; UBC team captain Chandan Deol attended as did several other interested and highly engaged students, thanks to industry sponsorship. The conference leaves plenty of time for networking with a breakfast, lunch, breaks and a reception and a sunset boat ride on the first day. The second day also has networking meal breaks and includes hands-on activities on board vessels. Worldwide Ferry Safety Association cordially hopes that the intellectually curious and professionally ambitious readers of BC Shipping News will participate in the conference.
SAFER, SMARTER, GREENER
SAFER, SMARTER, GREENER SAFER, SMARTER, GREENER
EXPERTISE IS KNOWING ECAP propeller by MMG
ECAP propeller by MMG
The data showed that human error was the major cause of fatalities. WFSA analysis found that of those fatal ferry incidents for which a cause was known, 70 per cent (using stringent criteria) were the result of human error. Human error can be addressed in part by training (and in part by design and monitored controls). The conference focused on training, specifically, electronic learning systems (e-learning). These online interactive training systems are most needed for mariners who have limited time on shore and limited funds for traditional classroom courses but would welcome an onboard electronic training supplemental to hands on training. And better yet would be mobile (tablet or cell phone based) courses. This was one of the most popular sessions, which had Eric Christensen of the Passenger Vessel Association (PVA) and British Columbia’s Murray Goldberg, Marine Learning Systems, presenting, with then Captain of the Port Gordon Loebl moderating. This year’s conference on technology and training will have a session on the use of simulators for evaluation in addition to training purposes; a presentation by Mary Ann Pastrana, owner-operator of the well-operated Philippine Archipelago ferry system, on its innovative approach; as well as the return of Murray Goldberg who will speak about the experience of a large vessel operator, BC Ferries, and the lessons they learned while implementing a comprehensive eLearning program. Their experience will be of great value to any maritime operator considering a transition to more effective training. Another session had to do with Communications. Being able to communicate between vessels and base stations is critical to prevent and respond to incidents. NY Waterway, famed for providing emergency response during 911 and especially for the Miracle on the Hudson (the rescue of passengers from the jet which made an emergency landing on the Hudson in January 2009)
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www.dnvgl.us/maritime May 2016 BC Shipping News 51
DRUGS & ALCOHOL
Mitigating and managing the risks of international maritime substance use By Christopher Loat
President, L&L Maritime Corporation
Concerns about maritime drug and alcohol use have led to a huge increase in the number of companies implementing drug and alcohol policies...
D
rug and alcohol use is common worldwide, with a long history of uses ranging from medicinal to mystical, its presence within society is inevitable. Seafarers may use drugs or alcohol socially, which sometimes leads to irresponsible use or to escape the pressures of daily life, and this use may become a habit or even dependency. Concerns about maritime drug and alcohol use have led to a huge increase in the number of companies implementing drug and alcohol policies which acknowledge the social and problem use of drugs and alcohol. Drugs and alcohol can reduce the user’s ability for logical judgement; accentuate conditions that may already be reducing the individual’s capabilities; and affect health. With the number of drugs and their availability increasing, companies are realizing that they must act.
Manage risk via a drug and alcohol policy
A robust policy enables maritime companies to communicate their attitude on drugs and alcohol to seafarers in their employ. It can also empower the crew to maintain a safe working
52 BC Shipping News May 2016
environment. It needs to be fair, simple and easy to understand for all seafarers, and aligned with the culture, vision and working practices of the company. For a watertight, unquestionable policy, the contents need to be: • Fair and reasonable as a response to the perceived issue. • Incorporated with consultation of employee representatives. • Clear in meaning and communicated effectively to the crew. • Implemented consistently. There are four areas it should explain: • The reason the company needs a policy. • Rules around drug and alcohol use and the consequences of broken rules. • The measures that will be in place to ensure compliance. • The testing program. Taking all of this into account, you can see a picture building — the policy sets the expectations on the crew and the maritime company and, if written and implemented correctly, will support a program of testing, ensuring that results are enforceable if required. Within a maritime setting, there is also the consideration that ships can be
both a workplace and home and, due to mobility, that various legislations or guidelines may apply. I’m sure you’re thinking this is all very well, but what are the benefits provided by a robust policy? Well, they are numerous: • Increased safety of the seafarer and assurance that the company is seen to comply with all maritime regulations. • An actively executed duty of care. • Potentially reduced insurance premiums. • A reduced risk of litigation due to accidents where drugs and/or alcohol were factors. • The increased health of crew. • Potential increased chance of winning contracts where drug and alcohol policies are required. • Protection of the maritime company’s reputation. • Sign posts to make it easier for a seafarer to come forward and get help without discrimination.
How to make the maritime drug and alcohol policy work
Education and communication play a huge role in the introduction and the ongoing success of a drug and alcohol policy; there are two elements to this. The first is the introduction of a new or updated policy. Effectively communicating the policy provides everybody with a clear understanding of the rules and expectations, making it
DRUGS & ALCOHOL visible and credible, while providing the opportunity to allay fears and generate confidence in the procedures. Educating seafarers about what drugs and alcohol do to the body, how they impair the ability to perform duties and can ultimately lead to accidents can be a real wake up call. It is well documented that there is a misunderstanding about what a unit of alcohol is, recommended limits and how to calculate personal intake. The second element to keep it going in the longer term, for instance when new crew join. This forms part of the policy that enables maritime companies to demonstrate that the crew is aware of the policy and its meaning. There are various ways to do this, including: Education around drugs and alcohol to create awareness, as it provides the opportunity to ask questions about the test procedures and methods. Using educational literature in the form of posters and/or booklets to communicate messaging across a large crew and to keep the policy visible.
Seafarer testing
Maritime companies choose drug and alcohol testing to comply with maritime regulations globally and a policy allows them to enforce this. Testing acts as a deterrent and provides a visible record of success. One very important factor is that testing should be conducted whenever the policy dictates and should consider: • Who is going to be tested? • When they are going to be tested, such as Pre-employment; Routine; Random, unannounced; and/or Post-incident. • How the crew will be tested in terms of drugs and alcohol, type of test, type of sample, panel of drugts and cut-offs.
More about the when and how…
Alcohol can be tested via breath or urine, the most convenient and least invasive ways. If you are already sending urine to a laboratory for drug tests, the urine can be collected for both drugs
and alcohol at the same time. This way you get one set of results at the same time. It is also vital for companies to ensure that any tests they carry out are legally defensible. If a test result suggests a seafarer has participated in substance abuse, they could be disciplined, lose their job or even be prosecuted, which could lead to the company being taken to court. Consequently, maritime companies must be sure that any tests they carry out are entirely accurate and capable of withstanding a legal challenge. For an unequivocal result, laboratory testing is a must as it will screen the sample for the panel of drugs and/ or alcohol and confirm specifically any positive results. Drugs can be detected using oral fluid, urine or hair. However, something to note is the difference in windows of detection between the three sample types that dictates the level of information you see and also relevance in terms of ‘when to test.’ Oral fluid shows the most recent use, typically within 24 hours, so the window is very small. Urine also detects recent use, typically within two days, showing a wider window and is the ‘gold standard’ for maritime testing. As you have probably guessed, hair provides the longest window in which you can detect use, covering months or even years. This is of course limited by the length of the hair (one centimetre equals one month on average). Hair can be used for ‘preemployment’ testing; however urine is classed as the gold standard and endorsed by all the major maritime institutions and recognized globally as the drug matrices of choice. Maritime has a recognized standard panel as follows: alcohol plus amphetamines (including ecstasy), barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cannabis, cocaine, methadone, opiates (including heroin), phencyclidine and propoxyphene. This panel exceeds the requirements of all maritime organizations and major oil companies. Interestingly, drug trends change from country to country, and there are new
drugs surfacing all the time, which is why it is worth considering additional drugs in some instances. An excellent example of a regional trend is ketamine, in some regions in Asia ketamine users account for over 30 per cent of all drug users or steroids, which are predominately enquired about by the offshore industry.
Legally defensible results
Due to the serious consequences that taking action on a reported positive result can lead to, it is vital that before acting, the results have been checked to prevent wrongful accusations. Ideally, all positive confirmation results should go to a medical review officer, who provides independent and expert scrutiny of the results under medical confidentiality. This process protects the seafarer in question from a wrongful accusation when legitimate medications cause a positive result. Not only are wrongful accusations distressing for the seafarer but can also lead to legal action against the marine employer along with adverse publicity.
Conclusion
Make the policy robust, communicate it well, do what you say you are going to do and follow procedure. Simple things like this enable a working policy that will be effective for the marine employer and crew. If you are not sure about creating a policy, or if yours is not as robust as it can be, seek the advice of your drug and alcohol testing provider. Take advantage of their experience and knowledge to avoid the pitfalls and mistakes within a policy, which might otherwise only come to light when the policy is challenged. Christopher Loat is President of L&L Maritime Corporation. In co-operation with Alere Toxicology, LLMC has been providing international occupational health and substance abuse testing programs for the marine and offshore oil & gas industries for over a decade. To contact Christopher, please email him at: chris. loat@llmaritime.com. May 2016 BC Shipping News 53
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BC Ferries.....................................................................................................................3 BC Shipping News......................................................................................................47 Bernard LLP................................................................................................................30 Bracewell Marine Group.............................................................................................38 Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia...................................................................13 ClassNK......................................................................................................................11 Clean Pacific 2016......................................................................................................23 Corix Water Products..................................................................................................41 Dave Roels Photography............................................................................................33 DNV GL.......................................................................................................................51 Ferry Safety & Technology Conference........................................................................39 Gillispie-Munro Inc.....................................................................................................15 Green Marine (GreenTech 2016)...................................................................................4 Greenwood Maritime Solutions Ltd............................................................................10 IMS Marine Surveyors & Analytical Laboratories Ltd..................................................31 International Harbour Masters Congress....................................................................27 International Sailors Society Canada..........................................................................42 Jastram Engineering Ltd............................................................................................49 John Horton, Marine Artist.........................................................................................19 King Bros. Limited......................................................................................................10 Kongsberg Maritime Simulation..................................................................................9 Lloydâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Register............................................................................................................7 Lonnie Wishart...........................................................................................................54 Meridian Marine Industries........................................................................................44 Mission to Seafarers...................................................................................................54 Nanaimo Port Authority.............................................................................................14 Osborne Propellers.....................................................................................................37 Redden Net & Rope....................................................................................................37 Robert Allan Ltd.........................................................................................................25 Tactical Marine Solutions Ltd.....................................................................................45 Tervita........................................................................................................................10 Vancouver International Maritime Centre..................................................................BC Vancouver Maritime Museum.................................................................................. IBC Western Canada Marine Response Corporation..........................................................21
SAVE THE DATE!
Cycling for Seafarers September 17, 2016
Get ready to ride!
Now with three choices for distance: 40, 60 and 100 km! All rides start at the Mission and finish with a deluxe BBQ. Training program for beginners and seasoned cyclists starts in mid-June. Email Don MacInnes to join or for more details: don@jdmac.ca
54 BC Shipping News May 2016
an at the
Museum
Wednesday July 27th 2016 | Reception begins at 6:30pm $200 per person 路 $1,400 per table of 8 (taxes incl.)
For information & tickets, please email: gala@vanmaritime.com All proceeds support the Museum as we work to preserve the Maritime heritage of the Pacific Northwest
THE PORT OF PRINCE RUPERT
Growing fast. Going strong. Prince Rupert is connecting Canada’s industries and communities to fast-growing Asian economies. As a North American leader in security, marine safety and environmental sustainability, we’re proud to uphold the highest standards while moving the world’s goods and resources through British Columbia’s northern trade corridor.
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