BEST PRACTICES
Partnership strengthens tanker escort and marine response for Trans Mountain Expansion Project
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rans Mountain, KOTUG Canada Inc., the Sc’ianew First Nation, and Western Canada Marine Response Corporation are coming together in a unique, multifaceted set of agreements that serve to strengthen the many aspects of tanker escort and marine response on Canada’s West Coast. “These agreements represent a significant milestone in meeting our marine shipping commitments as a result of innovative partnerships between marine industry and Indigenous communities,” said Ian Anderson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Trans Mountain Corporation. “This is a great example of how shared values of protecting the marine environment, building capacity, and growing local economies can work together.” As the operator of Canada’s only oil pipeline servicing the West Coast of Canada and providing tidewater access to foreign markets for Canada’s petroleum resources, Trans Mountain received approval in 2019 to proceed
“This is a great example of how shared values of protecting the marine environment, building capacity, and growing local economies can work together.” with its Expansion Project that will provide increased capacity to support Canadian crude oil production growth and ensure access to global energy markets. The largest project in the pipeline’s history, it involves installing approximately 980 kilometres of new pipeline, new and modified facilities including pump stations and terminals, and a new dock complex at Westridge Marine Terminal in Burnaby, British Columbia. With Trans Mountain’s capacity increasing from 300,000 barrels per day to 890,000, it is expected that tanker traffic will increase from roughly 32 vessels per year to an estimated 380. It should be noted that the size of the vessel doesn’t change – Aframax and Panamax. As part of the approval process, Trans Mountain undertook a series of studies, including a traffic
analysis and a quantitative marine risk assessment. Based on the studies, they extended the distance that tugs were tethered to loaded tankers and set about searching for larger tugs with increased bollard pull capacity to be brought to the West Coast. Enter KOTUG Canada Inc., a partnership between KOTUG International B.V. and Canada’s Horizon Maritime Inc., who has just signed a long-term agreement with Trans Mountain to provide escort towage to Projectrelated tankers transiting through the Gulf Islands and out to the western entrance of Juan de Fuca Strait. “We are proud to be selected as the exclusive provider of escort tug support to Trans Mountain tankers,” said Ard-Jan Kooren, President and CEO, KOTUG International; Board Member and Director, KOTUG Canada. “It is an
Image courtesy Trans Mountain
KOTUG Canada’s two escort tugs and WCMRC’s offshore supply vessel will be based out of Beecher Bay to bolster safety and spill response as Trans Mountain readies for increased tanker visits to their Westridge Marine Terminal. February 2022 — PACIFIC PORTS — 21
