As anchorages continue to be in high demand as result of disruptions to rail service from weather related issues and the blockades, the Chamber of Shipping President, Robert Lewis-Manning penned an op-ed in the Vancouver Sun focused on the consequences of the rail blockade on the availability of anchorages. The blockades and other recent issues affecting rail and port services highlight the serious need for a systems approach to planning and managing Canada’s waterways. Anchorages are a vital component of the Canadian transportation framework and having predictable, managed and monitored anchorages is essential to the success of exporting Canada’s high-valued natural resources, agricultural, and forestry products.
There are 16 existing federal program initiatives in B.C. that influence commercial marine shipping and this number is likely to increase. These initiatives include but are not limited to the development of protected areas, the management of emissions, marine shipping contingency planning, protecting endangered marine species, and addressing concerns of Indigenous and coastal communities. In almost all cases, there is little integration or coordination between initiatives as it relates to shipping, and a complete lack of harmonization of these programs with Canadian supply chain and trade objectives.
