: NEW MEMBER PROFILE
FortisBC
T
he Association of Pacific Ports is pleased to welcome FortisBC as its newest Associate Member. In joining the Association, FortisBC director of low carbon transportation and LNG business growth Sarah Smith sees a great opportunity in being able to share their experiences in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry as well as engage with members to identify their needs, especially in the training and handling of LNG. “We’re looking forward to working with marine vessel operators in the Port of Vancouver, across North America and internationally to safely advance the use of LNG in marine applications,” said Smith. “We have an opportunity to develop BC as an LNG bunkering hub, presenting a great economic opportunity for the province, and capturing the environmental benefits of lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) and air
contaminant emissions associated with marine transportation.” As a Canadian-owned, B.C.-based company with approximately 2,550 employees, FortisBC delivers natural gas, electricity, and renewable energy solutions to more than 1.2 million customers in 135 communities throughout the province. They own and operate approximately 50,182 kilometres of natural gas transmission and distribution
Expansion of the Tilbury Liquefied Natural Gas Facility in Delta, British Columbia, will allow FortisBC to meet the growing demand for clean energy. 42 — PACIFIC PORTS — September 2021
pipelines, 7,335 kilometres of electric transmission and distribution power lines, and two LNG facilities — the Mt. Hayes facility located inland on Vancouver Island, and the Tilbury Island facility in Delta, B.C. It is FortisBC’s Tilbury facility that will be of most interest to APP members. In operation since 1971, the Tilbury LNG facility was originally built to produce and store LNG to ensure energy needs of its customers were met during periods of high demand during the winter. Since 2016, the facility has also produced LNG for marine transportation including vessels in the fleets of BC Ferries and Seaspan Ferries. The custom-built on-board tanker trailerto-ship bunkering operation was the first of its kind in North America, allowing simple drive-in, on-deck refuelling. To ensure safe and efficient implementation of this new approach to fueling, FortisBC also develops and delivers the training and certification materials required of third-party drivers who operate the LNG marine tanker trailers. Today, BC Ferries has five LNG-fueled vessels in operation and Seaspan Ferries has two, with two more going into service this year. Since commencing on-board LNG bunkering operations, FortisBC has completed over 3000 individual bunkering events. The company made history yet again in 2017 when it produced LNG for the
