COS Weekly Newsletter - Friday, 5 November 2021

Teck Resources Limited and Oldendorff Carriers have entered into an agreement to employ energy-efficient bulk carriers for shipments of Teck steelmaking coal from the Port of Vancouver to international destinations, reducing CO₂ emissions in the steelmaking coal supply chain. This industry-leading initiative is expected to achieve emission reductions of 30 – 40% for shipments handled by Oldendorff. The estimated savings can be of up to 45,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year, equivalent to removing nearly 10,000 passenger vehicles from the road. Oldendorff’s fleet of ‘Eco’ bulk carriers achieves significant fuel savings, owing to their energy-saving design, fuel-efficient engines, maximizing cargo size and utilizing advanced voyage optimization.

At the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) on climate change, the Port of Antwerp and the Port of Montreal have signed a cooperation agreement to support the creation of the first green shipping corridor in the North Atlantic.  Through this agreement the ports pledge to mobilize their respective public- and private-sector partners alike in the assessment, identification, development and adoption of shared or complementary solutions and infrastructures. Together, they intend to facilitate the trade of green fuels and the supply of renewable fuels and clean technologies to vessels.  As signatories of the Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonization, both parties intend to actively contribute to the achievement of international objectives while creating economic opportunities for their respective markets.

On November 3rd, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, referred the impact assessment of the proposed GCT Deltaport Expansion - Berth Four Project to an independent review panel. The project, which seeks to expand the existing GCT Deltaport Container Terminal with a fourth berth on the east side of the Roberts Bank Causeway. It would also include increased land-based container storage and handling facilities, a short sea shipping berth, the expansion of the intermodal rail yard along the causeway, and dredging to provide safe access for ships. Minister Guilbeault determined the referral of the impact assessment to a review panel was in the public interest. In doing so, the Minister took into account the extent of concerns expressed by the public and Indigenous nations. The review will consider potential environmental effects on fish and fish habitat, aquatic species at risk, and migratory birds.

Canada and the United Kingdom, as co-leads of the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA), are advocating that the end of coal-fired electricity is one of the single most important steps to be taken in the fight against climate change. Building on Canadian initiatives announced earlier this week to accelerate the phase-out of coal-fired electricity, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, participated in the Powering the World Past Coal event at COP26 on Thursday to announce 28 new members, bringing the global Alliance to a total of 165 members, with 50 sign-ups in 2021 alone.

Washington Lieutenant Gov. Denny Heck has signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of Finland to build a so-called smart port in Tacoma as early as next year. The MOU signing coincides with a visit from a Finnish trade delegation that includes nine companies with a focus on maritime technology. Finland’s largest port, HaminaKotka, is currently unloading cargo ships in half a day, far faster than congested harbours elsewhere in the world. At the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma, it is currently “all hands on deck” to speed up shipments and deliveries. The initial step in the smart port development is a feasibility study for a 5G edge computing network in the Tacoma Tideflats area.

The US Coast Guard is inviting public participation on its Pacific Coast Port Access Route Study. This is the first comprehensive evaluation of all vessel traffic patterns that use the Pacific Coast waterway along the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington. The main goal of the study is to evaluate historic and future waterway usage to determine navigational risk. The PAC-PARS will evaluate the usage of coastal waterways by collecting vessel tracking data, environmental data, existing and planned offshore development/infrastructure, historical marine incident data, and public comments, which are due on or before Jan. 25, 2022.

The Indonesia Investment Authority (INA) signed a strategic alliance agreement with DP World to enhance Indonesia's maritime and port sector within the global manufacturing ecosystem. The economic value of this partnership could reach up to $7.5 billion over the long term. DP World and INA will form a consortium and working team to explore investments into the logistics infrastructure in Indonesia, including hinterland investments, inland terminals, cargo parks, feeder network systems, landside transport, and industrial zones. They will also explore collaboration with the Indonesia Port Corporations (Pelindo). DP World will seek to leverage its joint investment platform with Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) which since its launch in 2016 has invested in 12 port terminals globally across various stages of the asset lifecycle.

For those readers that are in the Kitimat area keep an eye out for the BigRoll Bering scheduled to arrive next week. BigRoll's two unique ice-class module carriers, BigRoll Bering and BigRoll Beaufort, are extremely flexible and have the ability to carry any large cargo - from items such as completely assembled port cranes to windmill blades. The vessels have been specially designed to transport the heaviest modules, offering solutions for onshore and offshore heavy transport projects. With a length of 173 meters the BigRoll Bering and BigRoll Beaufort have been operational since 2016 and 2017  respectively, and were constructed in accordance with Finnish Swedish 1A Ice Class regulations and designed with a focus on low fuel consumption. The entire deck surface of the vessels can be utilized offering an abundance of space with a length of 125 meters and a width of 42 meters. The completely flush deck is highly suitable for Roll-On/Roll-Off and SkidOn/Skid-Off operations. Due to the high ballast capacity of 12,000 m3/h and a deck strength of 20 t/sqm, BigRoll ensures safe and efficient transportation of extreme cargoes.