The LNG Woodfibre project has been granted an extension to put shovels in the ground, as it had its environmental assessment certificate extended for an additional five years on Oct. 25. The certificate set to expire Oct. 26 this year was renewed by the provincial Environmental Assessment Office. Local environmental groups have been highly critical of the project, claiming that it should have more conditions relating to climate change.

The Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA) has issued formal notice of proposed amendments to its 2021 tariff.  It calls for a 1.32 per cent increase of Harbour Dues and all other fees. The port is also introducing a new fee for anchoring ships within its jurisdiction and for anchorages assigned by the Port but external to its jurisdiction. While this fee has zero cost in 2021, it is intending to apply a progressive tariff in 2022 that would increase with longer stays beyond 10, 15, 25, and 30 days.

In October, CN has already exceeded the previous record of 2.88 million metric tons of Canadian grain moved set in October 2019 and is on track to exceed the previously unattained 3 MMT mark. This unprecedented performance follows seven record months of Canadian grain movement in March, April, May, June, July, August, and September. CN is also receiving its first shipment of 1,500 North American Built, new generation, high-capacity, grain hopper cars, with 100 cars already received and another 500 expected to be in service between now and the end of the year.

GCT Canada Limited Partnership’s initial project description of its plans to expand its Deltaport facility with a fourth berth is now open for comments.  The GCT Deltaport Berth 4 Expansion project proposes to provide incremental, market-driven capacity in the Port of Vancouver through a phased expansion of the current terminal footprint, adding up to 2M TEUs of new capacity, as it is needed. Comments can be submitted online by visiting the project home page on the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry (reference number 81010), or by visiting the EAO’s website at projects.eao.gov.bc.ca and conducting a search using the project name. The comment period ends November 27, 2020.

PSA International has completed an expansion of its container terminal in the Port of Halifax that will allow the facility to handle multiple ultra-large container vessels at the same time. Already the largest marine terminal in Eastern Canada prior to its expansion, the South End Container Terminal now sports a 2,890-foot berth, up from 2,165 feet, with a draft depth of 52.5 feet. PSA officially began operations at the facility with the Oct. 23.

Robert Allan has been named an Honorary Member by the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), making him one of only 50 living individuals to enjoy this privilege. This membership is awarded to a person as result of their dedicated service to the maritime industry and the Society and is a symbol of recognition offered as a token of the high esteem in which their colleagues hold them.

Pinnacle Renewable Energy has announced the appointment of Duncan Davies as Chief Executive Officer effective November 1, 2020.  Mr. Davies has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Interfor Corporation where he led the transformation of Interfor from a small regional producer, located primarily on the B.C. Coast, into one of the largest lumber companies in the world.

The Minister of Transport, the Honourable Marc Garneau, has announced the extension of COVID-19 measures pertaining to cruise ships and pleasure craft until February 28, 2021. This means:

• Cruise ships with overnight accommodations carrying more than 100 people continue to be prohibited from operating in Canadian waters.
• All other passenger vessels must continue following provincial, territorial, local and regional health authority guidance.
• Passenger vessels carrying more than 12 people continue to be prohibited from entering Arctic coastal waters, including Nunatsiavut, Nunavik and the Labrador Coast.
• Adventure-seeking pleasure craft also continue to be banned in Arctic waters.

Essential passenger vessels, such as ferries and water taxis, should continue following federal guidance and provincial, territorial, local and regional protocols, as well as mitigation measures, to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.

The Government of Canada has published the new Marine Navigation Safety Regulations, 2020, which now apply to commercial vessels of all sizes, including fishing vessels, workboats, water taxis and ferries. The new regulations represent a consolidation of nine existing sets of marine safety regulations into a single one that:

• provides clearer and more up to date language on required navigational safety equipment;
• requires vessel owners to have equipment to help reduce the risk of collisions that could cause pollution, like oil spills, and threaten endangered marine life, such as whales;
• requires lifesaving equipment that will send emergency signals and provide the vessel's location.
• applies to over 23,000 commercial vessels of all sizes; and
• better aligns with international marine safety standards such as the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea.

See the full document here: Navigation Safety Regulations, 2020

The Government of Canada has issued an Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) signalling its intention to enter into a contract with Chantier Davie of Lévis, Quebec, for required vessel life extension work on the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Louis S. St-Laurent, Canada’s largest icebreaker. Other interested suppliers will have 15 calendar days to submit a Statement of Capabilities to show they meet the requirements laid out in the ACAN. The scheduled vessel life extension will take place over three 5-month dry docking periods in 2022, 2024 and 2027, with an alongside work period in 2023. Work includes inspections, regulatory maintenance and auxiliary equipment replacement.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has released its Watchlist 2020.  The Watchlist highlights key safety issues and actions needed to make Canada’s transportation system even safer. Watchlist 2020 identifies eight key safety issues that require government and industry attention. Watchlist 2020 includes:

• The risk of unplanned or uncontrolled movement of railway equipment. (new this year)
• Commercial fishing safety
• Runway overruns
• Runway incursions
• Following railway signals
• Fatigue
• Safety Management
• Regulatory Surveillance

For more information on Watchlist 2020, visit: www.tsb.gc.ca/watchlist.

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), has been awarded a contract by Transport Canada to develop an assessment tool to examine clean technologies that could reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the release of other pollutants from marine vessels. Using what is known as CNL’s Marine-Zero FuelTM (MaZeFTM) Assessment Tool, the objective is to help Canada assess and pursue the use of hydrogen and other clean energy technologies to transition away from traditional forms of fuel that are contributing to marine pollution and climate change.

Canada is being urged by Laurel Collins, the MP for Victoria, to develop a national plan to crack down on the carbon pollution from shipping vessels following heavy criticism over the outcome of international talks meant to address the issue. She believes that it is time for Canada put in place a formal framework for shipping emissions reductions, complete with specific targets and federal funding for carrying out monitoring and other related tasks. Canada has also proposed a Clean Fuel Standard, which, if implemented, would limit the carbon content of fuels, thereby encouraging the use of alternatives such as biofuels or technological substitutions like electric vehicles.

The CDC has issued a Framework for Conditional Sailing Order. The order provides a framework for a phased resumption of cruise ship operations in the US and requirements for the initial phases relating to crew testing, and more.

See the order here.

Clean-up crews have recovered approximately 55 tons of oiled debris from beaches in Delaware one week after mysterious oil patties began washing up along a 10-mile stretch of shoreline. The oil was first reported on Monday and the source remains unknown. The oil has caused several beaches to close and there have also been reports of 66 oiled birds. Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research of Newark is investigating the reports and treating wildlife that have been oiled in the water.

The European Commission has announced a proposed new initiative that will make it easier for different authorities involved in goods clearance to exchange electronic information submitted by traders, who will be able to submit the information required for import or export of goods only once. The initiative is dubbed the ‘EU Single Window Environment for Customs', and aims to enhance cooperation and coordination between different authorities, in order to facilitate the automatic verification of non-customs formalities for goods entering or leaving the EU to modernise and streamline customs controls, facilitate trade and improve cooperation.

Mr. William A O’Neil, Secretary-General of IMO from 1990 to 2003, has died at the age of 93. Mr. O’Neil was a Canadian civil engineer that went through ranks within Transport Canada and served as the Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard, and President and later CEO of the St. Lawrence Seaway.  Through his years of experience serving as one of Canada's delegates to the IMO, he became Chair of the IMO Council in 1980 and was re-elected four times before being appointed Secretary-General. He will be remembered for his great contributions to securing globally applicable safety, security and environmental standards. During Mr. O’Neil’s tenure, the IMO adopted a number of new treaties and responded to global issues such as maritime security and piracy. His presence in the global shipping industry will be missed.

Japanese-owned car carrier Metis Leader has been arrested in Australia for not changing its crew. A number of seafarers on the Panamanian-flagged vessel have been working aboard the vessel in excess of the 11 months maximum permitted under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC). On Oct. 1st, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority resumed the enforcement of the MLC requirements on maximum allowed periods for seafarers to remain at sea, which in many countries has been semi-suspended in order to keep global trade operating. Unfortunately, logistical and regulatory difficulties when a ship gets into port continue to plague the crew change processes.

Cargill is continuing its efforts to decarbonize shipping. The company has partnered with BAR Technologies of the U.K. and Finnish naval architect firm to bring cutting edge wind propulsion technology derived from America’s Cup yacht racing to commercial shipping. The project will see BAR Technology’s WindWings—large, solid wing sails that measure up to 45 meters in height—fitted to the deck of bulk cargo ships to harness the power of the wind and reduce CO2 emissions by as much as 30%. The number of wing sails can be tailored to the size of the vessel and the route it will take. The project is currently in the design phase, and is expected to be on the water by 2022.