TANKER SHIP SAFETY IN CANADA
REGULATIONS AND PROGRAMS
Canada is a world leader in its approach towards eradicating substandard
shipping.
With the longest coastline of any single country in the world, Canada sees
about 20,000 oil tanker movements each year. Of these, 17,000 occur on Canada’s
East Coast. In 2000, 29 million tonnes of crude petroleum and 2 million tonnes of fuel oil were
imported into Canada on tankers. Tankers also carried 9.9 million tonnes of
crude oil and 9.2 million tonnes of fuel oil in the domestic trade.
Transport Canada regulations and standards, under the Canada Shipping Act,
combined with international regulations established by the International
Maritime Organization (IMO), provide the framework for the department’s
comprehensive marine safety inspection and enforcement programs.
Under Canada's Port State Control
(PSC) program, Transport Canada inspectors
board and inspect foreign ships at Canadian ports, including tankers. The
international PSC agreements to which Canada is signatory require Transport
Canada to subject 25 per cent of all visiting vessels to a PSC inspection. Under
PSC, all vessels, including tankers, are inspected at least once every six
months by marine authorities in a participating PSC nation. Vessels that do not
meet safety standards are detained until their deficiencies have been rectified.
Over and above the PSC program, Transport Canada’s policy is to inspect all
foreign tankers upon their first visit to Canada and at least once a year
thereafter.
A specific Transport Canada program, known as Ships of Particular Interest,
targets certain foreign ships before they arrive in Canada. The program involves
reviewing past
incident reports, and the quality of ships as assessed by third parties (i.e.
foreign governments, pilots, crews, etc), allowing Transport Canada to target
its inspection efforts on vessels that are more likely not to meet safety
standards and regulations. This program, combined with Canada’s Port State
Control program, has been highly effective in deterring substandard ships from
coming to Canada.
All vessel operators must contact the Canadian Government with information on
their ship, cargo and destination, and to report any safety deficiencies to
Transport Canada 96 hours before entering Canadian waters. This provides time
for the government to review this information and to refuse entry to any vessel
that could pose a risk to Canadian waters.
In 1993, Transport Canada established regulations under the Canada Shipping
Act requiring that any tanker built or receiving substantial modifications after
1993 be double hulled to operate in Canadian waters. Tankers that are not double
hulled will be gradually phased out of operating in Canadian waters by 2015,
beginning with older and larger vessels. These regulations are harmonized with
U.S. regulations (Oil Pollution Act) and international regulations established
by the IMO.
Transport Canada also has regulations to enhance the safety of ocean-going
vessels, including tankers, operating in Canadian waters. These regulations
state specific standards for the building and maintenance of these vessels and
for the training of their mariners. Vessel operators are also required to
maintain a safe speed and consider factors such as visibility, traffic density
and weather conditions.
In addition, there are programs in place to oversee and monitor the safe
movement of vessels in Canadian waters. Mandatory pilotage zones are in place
where traffic density and hazards warrant. Operators are required to take on
board a marine pilot with local knowledge before entering a harbour or busy
waterway - such as the Placentia Bay, the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Strait of
Juan de Fuca. Vessels operating in Canadian waters designated for vessel traffic
services are monitored and guided by the Canadian Coast Guard’s Vessel Traffic
Service Centres. The Government of Canada is also taking steps to increase
surveillance and tracking of marine traffic including “near-real-time”
identification and tracking of vessels in Canadian waters.
Transport Canada establishes and enforces all above regulations and programs
in close cooperation with other departments and agencies including Environment
Canada, the Department of Fisheries and
Oceans/the Canadian Coast
Guard, and the
International Maritime Organization. Should safety deficiencies or
non-compliance be identified as a result of these programs, enforcement action
is taken against the vessel owner or operator.
The Government of Canada remains committed to marine safety and enforcement
activities to reduce and eliminate ship source marine pollution in Canadian
waters, enhance marine safety and protect the environment.
January 2003
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