Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC) is the Transport Canada-certified marine spill response organization for Canada’s West Coast. The organization’s mandate under the Canada Shipping Act is to be prepared to respond to marine oil spills along all 27,000 km of British Columbia’s coastline, and to mitigate the impact when a spill occurs. This includes the protection of wildlife, economic and environmental sensitivities, and the safety of both the responders and the public.
The following classes of vessels are required to register through the WCMRC:
> Oil tankers of 150 gross tonnage or more;
> Vessels of 400 gross tonnage or more that also carry oil as cargo or as fuel;
> Groups of vessels that are towed, pushed, and are of 150 gross tonnage or more in aggregate and carry oil as cargo. According to ERAR, these vessels are considered one unit.
The following vessels are not required to register through the WCMRC
> Foreign vessels that are only transiting in the territorial sea of Canada or the exclusive economic zone of Canada and are not engaged in the loading or unloading of oil during transit;
> Pleasure craft;
> Government vessels, naval auxiliary vessels or vessels owned or operated by a foreign state and used only on government non-commercial service.
Registration is required for all 27,000 km of British Columbia’s coastline. The Act does not apply to waters north of latitude 60° N.
Completed forms can be emailed to Chamber of Shipping at: operations@cosbc.ca
Schedule A is part of the registration contract. Different vessels under the same ownership have the option of submitting separate contracts for each vessel or including multiple vessels on the same contract by adding them to the Schedule A form, if applicable.
SCHEDULE I, is “Satisfactory Evidence of Non-Residence” form which relates to the Vessel Owner. The form is required for vessels whose owner does not reside in Canada, for GST Exemption. It must be submitted with each vessel enrollment.
No, you do not need both. It is the same Geographical Area of Response
There is no fee, it is a reciprocal agreement with a separate form.
Kindly advise us if the vessel has sold. The contract would be void and cancelled and the new owner will need to apply and pay for a new contract as required.
The existing contract can be updated with the new ship management company details or new vessel name.
Once the contract is submitted, the vessel is enrolled for a period of 12 months.
The Canadian Coast Guard manages spill response north of the 60th parallel. More information on their services can be found here: http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/eng/CCG/Environmental_Response
The vessel’s name or the invoice number.
WCMRC – Western Canada Marine Response Corporation
JDF – Juan de Fuca
BCO – Burrard Clean Organizaton (no longer used, changed to WCMRC, to encompass the B.C. Coastline)
OSRO – Oilspill Response Organization
OSRA – Oilspill Response Arrangement
QI – Qualified Individual, which is a term used in the United States only.
VRP – Vessel Response Plan
IMO Number – International Maritime Organizaton number.
7 digit vessel identification number – All vessels will have this number and can identify the ship even if here is a vessel name
change. All contracts must include this IMO number.
For more information on how to register a vessel, visit our Vessel Registration Procedures page.
