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BEST PRACTICES
BEST PRACTICES Partnership strengthens tanker escort and marine response for Trans Mountain Expansion Project
Trans 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 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
acknowledgment of the strong heritage, knowledge, and innovative culture of the combined companies of KOTUG Canada, who both have impressive track records. Our strong commitment to First Nations, social responsibility and sustainability will successfully support Trans Mountain’s environment- focused safety initiatives.”
KOTUG Canada will provide and operate the two dedicated escort tugs, each approximately 50 metres long, with minimum bollard pull capacity of 110 tonnes, which will be flagged in Canada and operated by highly skilled and capable Canadian mariners. New technologies will assist to reduce underwater radiated noise and greenhouse gases. This includes the application of a revolutionary vessel hull coating developed in Canada by Graphite Innovation & Technologies.
KOTUG Canada was selected for this purpose by shippers on the Trans Mountain Pipeline after a rigorous and competitive process, facilitated by Trans Mountain. Besides the strong technical specifications of these modern vessels, decisive factors for the award included KOTUG Canada’s commitment to a strong and innovative approach to Indigenous involvement and the partnership’s strong foundation in operational excellence in Canada and around the world.
With these factors in mind, KOTUG Canada has established a partnership for close coordination with the Sc’ianew First Nation, located in Beecher Bay, on Vancouver Island. This strategic location along the Trans Mountain escort route will provide KOTUG Canada with a safe home for a dedicated berthing facility as well as supporting the commercial activities of the Sc’ianew First Nation in Beecher Bay. The escort tug names will commemorate two important people from the Sc’ianew community.
“We have gone through great lengths, controversy and criticism to protect the ocean,” said Chief Russ Chipps, Sc’ianew. “This is just one part of our commitment to our people to do so. We want to be the centre for research, development and ocean protection, all while being the ambulance of the sea.”
Trans Mountain’s Anderson agreed. “Chief Chipps and his community have shown great leadership in the protection of the marine environment, and this partnership will provide significant employment and commercial opportunities,” he said. “I could not be happier for the Sc’ianew people. This is a great example of how shared values of protecting the marine environment, building capacity, and growing local economies can work together.”
The agreement also includes related training and development of community members of Indigenous communities to maintain the necessary experience and knowledge in the field of advanced safe tug operations and marine response. Importantly, the partnership between KOTUG Canada and the Sc’ianew First Nation provides vessel crews opportunities to learn from traditional knowledge and operate with respect and appreciation of the unique natural habitat of British Columbia’s coastal environment.
A third agreement completes the holistic approach being taken to ensure the safe transit of tankers on the West Coast. KOTUG Canada is partnering with Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC) for the provision of one dedicated offshore supply vessel (OSV) to support the protection of the Salish Sea/ Haro Strait and Juan de Fuca Strait. WCMRC will supply and operate a dedicated OSV, suitably equipped for 24/7 oil spill response services. This highly capable vessel also possesses significant bollard pull capacity of 207 T BP and is also capable of vessel towing, if required to do so.
Speaking on behalf of WCMRC, President Kevin Gardner said that “The offshore supply vessel is a substantial enhancement of oil spill response capacity on Canada’s West Coast. Offshore supply vessels have proven to be very effective oil spill response ships. At 245 feet and with 1,000 tonnes of oil storage capacity, it will be the largest ship in our fleet. The OSV will allow WCMRC to mount a large-scale response within six hours anywhere along the shipping lanes. WCMRC will be outfitting the OSV with 4,000 feet of offshore boom, a high-speed sweep system and a highcapacity skimming system.”
Early operations are expected to commence from late 2022.
Photo courtesy Trans Mountain
Representatives from KOTUG Canada and the Sc’ianew First Nation celebrate the new partnership agreeement.
