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What We Do
The purpose of the Marine Safety program is to protect life, health, property and the marine environment, thereby contributing to an efficient and sustainable marine transportation system in which
the public can have continued confidence.
The Marine Safety program encompasses the full spectrum of responsibilities related to the safety of vessels and environmental
protection, including:
- developing, administrating and enforcing national and international laws;
- promoting safe practices and procedures;
- overseeing training programs for officers and crews of commercial vessels;
- responding to marine occupational safety and health issues;
- maintaining a Canadian ship registry;
- licensing small commercial vessels; and
- overseeing pilotage matters.
Our vision describes the marine safety environment we want to achieve through the implementation of this plan.
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Marine Safety Vision
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| A marine industry where safety and environmental protection are the top priorities. |
Our mission describes how we plan to achieve our vision and the contributions we will make along the way.
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Marine Safety Mission
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To continuously maintain and enhance safety and the protection of life, health, property and the marine environment through:
- the development, maintenance and implementation of an effective regulatory regime;
- education and awareness; and
- monitoring and enforcement.
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Values provide guidance when establishing priorities and communicating Marine Safety’s strategic direction. We are committed to managing
our business, people and financial resources according to professional and ethical standards. The values of Marine Safety reflect those of Transport Canada.
| Respect: |
for our colleagues and clients by being open, fair and honest in all of our dealings. |
| Professionalism: |
continuous learning and development of our expertise, ongoing innovation, working conscientiously and in a fiscally prudent manner. |
| Collaboration: |
Listening and communicating openly, showing trust in our colleagues and clients, sharing responsibility and
resources. |
| Service: |
providing excellent service to our clients within the context of our overall commitment to public safety. |
| Communication: |
practicing open communication by meeting face-to-face with our colleagues, clients and stakeholders whenever possible. |
The Marine Safety program has significantly enhanced the safety culture of the marine transportation sector by overhauling the marine
legislative regime, including amending the Canada Shipping Act. Our continued focus on such initiatives as the implementation of safety
management systems and the small vessels inspection program will enable the Marine Safety program to meet its responsibilities for public safety and build a strong safety culture with its
stakeholders.
The safety culture within Marine Safety is further enhanced by our ability to report on performance indicators that are linked to the main activities of the program. Senior management has identified
four indicators, on which the program will report annually. These indicators derive from official
Transport Canada and Transportation Safety Board publications and have enabled the program to set realistic targets for the future.
The Marine Safety program has committed to achieving the following safety targets by 2010:
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Safety Indicators
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5 Year Average
(1998–2002)
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Target 2010
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| Number of marine fatalities |
33.8 |
20% reduction of 1998–2002 average |
| Number of reported marine injuries |
80.2 |
30% reduction of 1998–2002 average |
| Canadian commercial accident rate* (per 1000 trips) |
3.8 |
20% reduction of 1998–2002 average |
| Foreign flag commercial accident rate* (per 1000 trips) |
2.0 |
20% reduction of 1998–2002 average |
*The accident rate is the number of shipping accidents by Canadian or Foreign Flag commercial vessels involved in domestic and international trade as reported by the Transportation Safety Board.
Source: Transportation Safety Board of Canada, TSB Statistical Summary – Marine Occurrences
2002, Catalogue No. TU1-1/2002, ISBN 0-662-67170-8.
Identifying strengths, opportunities and challenges from both an internal and external perspective is an important component of the strategic planning process and will play a key role in realizing the
strategic outcomes outlined in this plan.
Internal Environment ^
Strengths
- professional, dedicated, experienced employees with specialized knowledge
- an evolving national training program for inspectors
- well-developed databases and electronic infrastructure
- a strong domestic and international reputation
- a cohesive management team
- effective communications within the program
- empowered managers and employees
Challenges
- ongoing recruitment and retention challenges due to a combination of demographics and technical requirements
- requirement to achieve program objectives and develop new program systems with finite resources
- increased workload due to new initiatives in areas such as small vessel safety
- need for further standardization of policies and procedures
- new technologies and processes creating additional training and learning requirements
External Environment ^
Opportunities
- increased environmental awareness and the promotion of environmental protection by other organizations
- technology changes resulting in safer vessels
- improved competency levels in the domestic and international industry
- increased international cooperation supported by International Maritime Organization and International Labour Organization agreements
and conventions
- regulations requiring that officer and crew certificates be revalidated
- working with the Transportation Safety Board to identify areas where safety can be enhanced
- greater industry transparency (port state control, classification societies, industry associations)
- industry support of proper regulations and standards (more active involvement,
self inspection potential)
- increased profile of passenger vessels, supporting tourism development
- increased communication within the industry
- increased industry understanding of prevention strategies and safety management systems
- security measures accelerating the development of safer navigational procedures and safety systems such as the Automated Identification
System and the Global Marine Distress and Safety System
Challenges
- impact of new technologies on training requirements for seafarers
- economic health of the marine industry and its potential impact on safety
- complexity of the shipping industry, including its various organizations and types of operations
- changing configuration of the shipping industry, including complex ownership and crew management arrangements, creates equally complex
safety oversight operations
- participation of multiple federal government departments in marine issues continues to require proper coordination to maximize
benefits
- impact of global warming and other environmental factors, such as marine pollution, on marine safety issues
- potential threat of terrorism in the marine industry and the impact of security measures on ship and crew safety issues
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