COS Weekly Newsletter - Friday, 19 August 2022

The Port of Vancouver has reported strong participation rates in the ECHO Program’s voluntary underwater noise reduction initiatives to support the recovery of southern resident killer whales. Thanks to the continued support of our many advisors, partners, and more than 80 marine transportation organizations, participation in all three of our initiatives is at or above 80%––and as high as 94% in the Haro Strait and Boundary Pass slowdown.  Over the last two weeks marine mammal observers have consistently sighted southern resident killer whales throughout Haro Strait, Boundary Pass, and in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Thankfully, at this time, no southern resident killer whales have been reported near the site of the sunken fishing boat, which spilled fuel near San Juan Island on August 13, 2022.  Photo credit: Olivia Murphy.

The Belledune Port Authority (BPA) is working with a developer to bring a green hydrogen production facility to northern New Brunswick. The project would use energy from the province's power grid to produce ammonia fuel for export and possibly local use. The port has reached an agreement in principle with Cross River Infrastructure Partners for the planned expansions would create the capacity to serve both local and global energy needs. Pending the outcome of feasibility studies, environmental assessments, due diligence and permitting, the hydrogen production facility could come online by 2027.

Canadian Pacific Railway Limited has received the required regulatory clearance from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States ("CFIUS") for the proposed combination of CP and Kansas City Southern ("KCS").  CP completed its acquisition of KCS on Dec. 14, 2021. Immediately upon the closing of the acquisition, the shares of KCS were placed into a voting trust which ensures KCS will operate independently of CP while the US. Surface Transportation Board ("STB") completes its regulatory review in early 2023.

As part of its role under the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessel Act, the Canadian Coast Guard has removed and is deconstructing an abandoned vessel.  The M/V Mini Fusion, a 56 metre cargo ship anchored in Doctor Bay, Desolation Sound in British Columbia, has been removed and is currently being deconstructed by Marine Recycling Corporation following a competitive bid process. To minimize the risk to the environment, the vessel was placed on a submersible drydock and the Canadian Coast Guard maintained an on-water presence to monitor the disposition of the vessel during the transit of the MV Mini Fusion to Duncan Bay.  The vessel was previously known as the MV Ocean Lady and at the time was suspected, but not proven, to be employed by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to transport 76 Tamil migrants to British Columbia in 2009.

Ship Safety Bulletin 10/2022 has been updated to provide the first summary report of non-mandatory measures taken by cruise ships operating in waters under Canadian jurisdiction during the 2022 cruise season.  These enhanced environmental measures are over and above international standards on vessel discharges and are intended to help restore marine habitats, and further protect Canadian waters.  The bulletin states the intent to implement the environmental measures for cruise ships on a mandatory basis beginning in 2023 and will initiate further engagement with the entire shipping industry and any interested partners to develop and implement further discharge measures for other areas of concern, such as scrubber discharges.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada’s (TSB) annual report for fiscal year 2021-22 was tabled in Parliament. The TSB received 1075 reports of marine transportation occurrences in 2021 (220 accidents and 855 incidents), including 11 fatalities. The number of accidents is lower than the 10-year average of 284 and 20% of accidents in 2021 were accidents aboard ship. The annual report discusses key annual statistics on occurrences in the air, marine, pipeline and rail modes of transportation under federal jurisdiction, and how the TSB has worked to advance safety for travellers and industry workers in all four sectors across Canada.

Concerns for the health of marine and mammal life in the area of western San Juan Island remain where the 15-metre fishing vessel, Aleutian Isle, went down last Saturday with an estimated 9,800 litres of fuel. The oil sheen from a sunken boat appears to have dissipated and the Canadian Coast Guard confirmed no oil or diesel has reached Canadian waters.

The vessel now lies in 60 metres of water near San Juan Island in Haro Strait, about 25 kilometres east of Victoria, and the depth is complicating efforts to assess the wreck and pump out remaining fuel. More than 1,100 metres of absorbent boom has been placed throughout the affected area, south to Kanaka Bay and north to the tip of Henry Island. The booms will remain as a precautionary measure. The local salmon fishery opened yesterday amid the response efforts. While a 1,000-yard safety zone remains in effect, there are no additional restrictions as a result of the incident.

US railway workers would receive a 22 percent pay increase over the next three years and $5,000 in bonus payments under a wage proposal made by the Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) overseeing contract negotiations between railroads and the 13 unions representing 115,000 workers. PEB’s 124-page report released this week called for retroactive pay hikes and five annual $1,000 payments which, combined with the wage increases, could average more than $11,000 in immediate payout to employees, according to the PEB. Other recommendations by the board include adjustments to health care premiums, retirement benefits, and work rules. The PEB’s recommendation is non-binding. The two sides have 30 days to review and can either use the proposal as a basis for a new deal or reject the recommendation completely. If the parties cannot reach a deal, Congress can step in by Sept. 17 and create legislation to force binding arbitration. If Congress does not act in time, union workers will be legally allowed to strike, picket, or start a lockout when the 30-day review period ends.

Robert Allan Ltd. has been awarded a contract by Rio Maguari Shipyard (Estaleiro Rio Maguari – ERM), located in Belém, Brazil, to develop the design package for an innovative Articulated Tug and Barge (ATB) for shipping containers along the coast of Brazil. These two ATB convoys will be owned and operated by Aliança Navegação e Logística (ANL), a major logistics services provider in Latin America, and part of the Maersk Group. Each barge will measure 130.0 m by 28.0 m, by 8.0 m depth, and will be able to carry approximately 700 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit), including dangerous goods and reefer containers, distributed above and below deck.

The 124 m Bahamian cruise ship National Geographic Resolution, currently at Vancouver Drydock, was the first ship of the 2022 season to transit Northwest Passage. The ship departed Kangerlussuag, Greenland July 17.  Arrived in Nome, Alaska August 7 and then sailed directly to Vancouver, arriving August 16th.

A sister ship to the National Geographic Endurance, the National Geographic Resolution accommodates 126 guests in 69 spacious cabins. The ship carries a fleet of Zodiac motorized landing craft, kayaks, snowshoes, and cross-country skis; as well as a sophisticated equipment that allows for  unique access to the underwater world.