TC – catching up

For those that follow Transport Canada’s activities, yes, some of us do, as they have deep impact on how I feed my family, you may have noticed quite an increase in activity from them. The main story for TC Marine Safety these days is the updating of the Marine Personnel Regulations, to bring them inline with the IMO’s Manila Amendments of 2010 – yes, of the year 2010 – just in case you forgot, we are now well into 2019. These changes are badly needed, way overdue, and after so much neglect and band aids over the years, it is not an easy task to shoehorn into Canada’s antiquated and hobbled seafarer certification process.

You can read and inform yourself of the process on The Common Rail, where in the forum are of this website, you will find updates and materials to get yourself acquainted with the major changes proposed for the new regulations – click here to immerse yourself in the breadth of the changes. The project, also known as MPR2019, has once again been pushed back; due to be rolled out this summer, it has been delayed until 2020.

Transport Canada is a busy place these days, the embarrassing response to the Boeing 737 disasters has once again shed some powerful light into the coziness of regulators and those it regulates, to facilitate the massive under funding of this important work of government over the last two decades. I am under no impression that it will change overnight, judging by the predicted funding levels discussed in previous posts, but I am encouraged despite the same government (even thought the color changes) priorities.

In the marine sector, TC has been issuing Transport Canada Ship Safety Bulletins at an impressive rate. Here are a few of late:

Subject: Protecting the North Atlantic right whale: Speed restriction measures in the Gulf of St. Lawrence
Bulletin No.: 07/2019
Date: 2019-04-11
Link: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/bulletins-2019-07-eng.htm

Subject: Launch of a new Small Vessel Compliance Program for Fishing Vessels not more than 15 Gross Tonnage
Bulletin No.: 06/2019
Date: 2019-03-29
Link: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/bulletins-2019-06-eng.htm

Subject: Safety measures concerning life-saving appliances
Bulletin No.: 05/2019
Date: 2019-03-19
Link: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/bulletins-2019-05-eng.htm

Subject: Hydrostatic testing of pressure containers under the Vessel Fire Safety Regulations
Bulletin No.: 04/2019
Date: 2019-03-18
Link: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/bulletins-2019-04-eng.htm

Subject: Fishing Vessel Safety Regulations: Stability, major modifications and record of modifications
Bulletin No.: 03/2019
Date: 2019-02-15
Link: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/bulletins-2019-03-eng.htm

In addition, and of great concern (or should be) to Canada’s operators of elderly ships – which most are:

On April 30, 2019, Canada acceded to the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, 2007 (http://www.imo.org/en/About/Conventions/ListOfConventions/Pages/Nairobi-International-Convention-on-the-Removal-of-Wrecks.aspx).

It will come into force in Canada on July 30, 2019 as part of the Wrecked, Abandoned and Hazardous Vessels Act (https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/W-12.3/index.html).

New requirements for vessel owners

The Wreck Removal Convention makes vessel owners strictly liable for the costs of locating, marking and removing a hazardous wreck.

All vessels of 300 gross tonnage or more that are registered in Canada or calling at ports and terminals in Canada (including inland waterways), Canada’s territorial sea and exclusive economic zone will be required to:

– carry wreck removal insurance, or
– provide other financial security to cover the costs of removing the wreck

To prove you hold insurance or another security, owners will need to carry a government-issued certificate, per Article 12 of the Convention, which can be obtain through Transport Canada.

A Ship Safety Bulletin has been issued covering in greater detail, the new insurance requirements for vessels under the Convention:  http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/bulletins-2019-08-eng.htm

An application form for the certificate can be found by following this link.

From TC’s news feed