Marc Garneau News

Canada’s premier nuclear science and technology laboratory is examining opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants from marine vessels in Canada.Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) said Monday it 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 vessels. Using what is known as CNL’s Marine-Zero FuelTM (MaZeFTM) Assessment Tool…

Canada's Transport Minister Marc Garneau announced he is expanding the requirements for the use of face coverings by workers and others involved in the country's transportation industry to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.Transport Canada and the transportation industry had already implemented measures such as increased sanitization, health checks for passengers, and allowing passengers to remain in their vehicles on ferries. The new measures requiring face masks are aimed at points in the transportation system where workers must be in close proximity to co-workers and travelers…

Canada's new eye in the sky will help detect oil spills and other marine pollution, and monitor ship and endangered whale movements.Minister of Transport Marc Garneau announced that Transport Canada has acquired a new addition to its National Aerial Surveillance Program’s aircraft fleet in an effort to enhance prevention measures needed to respond to marine pollution incidents faster and more effectively, and to better protect marine ecosystems and habitats.The De Havilland Dash 8 aircraft…

Transport Canada,  the department within the Government of Canada,  says it’s lifting speed restrictions for cargo ships in the Gulf of St. Lawrence after recent surveillance failed to detect North Atlantic right whales in shipping lanes.There weren’t any whales in the shipping lanes where speed had been reduced, Transport Canada pointed out, adding that the lower speed limit had driven cargo ships out of the lanes so they could take more direct routes through areas where the animals are known to gather.Over the past month, Transport Canada’s National Aerial Surveillance Program has greatly intensified surveillance with 240 flight hours over 44 missions, which is more than one a day.

Transport Canada has issued a $6,000 fine to a vessel that allegedly breached mandatory speed limits introduced by the federal government in parts of the Gulf of St. Lawrence to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales, Transport Minister Marc Garneau announced.Endangered whales such as the majestic North Atlantic right whale deserve to swim danger-free in Canadian waters. That is why the Government of Canada has introduced several measures to address risks they face by marine shipping and fishing activity.One of the implemented measures includes speed restrictions in certain zones in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and when a vessel contravenes the restriction…

Government of Canada is entering into contract negotiations with shipbuilder Chantier Davie of Lévis, Quebec, for the construction of two new ferries for Transport Canada.Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, on behalf of the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility, announced that the Government of Canada is entering into contract negotiations with Chantier Davie of Lévis, Quebec, for the construction of two new ferries for Transport Canada.The contract value and construction timelines will be determined once negotiations with the shipyard are completed. The Government of Canada will…

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority received federal funding for projects that will improve the flow of goods to and from the Port of Vancouver. Through the collaborative efforts of the port authority, Transport Canada, B.C.’s Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, TransLink and the Greater Vancouver Gateway Council, an infrastructure program called the Greater Vancouver Gateway 2030 strategy was created to ensure the roads and railways that lead to the Port of Vancouver are ready to manage Canada’s growing trade. After extensive study, nearly 40 priority infrastructure projects were identified for the Lower Mainland region.

Canada's Arctic is a vast and diverse region that is an integral part of this country. Marine transportation in the Arctic connects Canada to other countries and provides an essential lifeline for northern communities. To uphold the Government of Canada's high standards for marine shipping in the north, Transport Canada has introduced new Arctic Shipping Safety and Pollution Prevention Regulations. The regulations incorporate the International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (the Polar Code) into Canada's domestic legislation. The Polar Code addresses the unique hazards encountered by certain vessels that operate in the Arctic and Antarctic.

Transport Canada has issued a $6,000 fine to the owner of Panama flagged bulk carrier Federal Cardinal after the supramax vessel allegedly failed to comply with vessel speed restrictions in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In August Canada put in place a temporary mandate for vessels of 20 meters or more to slow to a maximum of 10 knots due to the increased presence of whales in the western Gulf of St. Lawrence, between the Quebec north shore and just north of Prince Edward Island – a rule that will remain in effect until the whales have migrated away from the area.

Canadian transport minister Marc Garneau announced a five-year extension to the Government of Canada’s agreement with the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation to manage, maintain and operate the Seaway. This extends the existing agreement until March 31, 2023, and will provide stability for the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation and the marine shipping industry. A vital artery between the Great Lakes and the lower St. Lawrence River, the St. Lawrence Seaway connects the heartland of North America to the world as an important, competitive and sustainable transportation corridor. The St. Lawrence Seaway consists of 15 locks and connecting canals or channels extending from Montreal to Lake Erie. Within the Great Lakes and St.

The transportation system is something Canadians rely on every day, from getting us to work, or bringing us the products we use in our homes. The Government of Canada is working to ensure that goods are transported in a safe and responsible way while protecting our marine environment and clean water. "The Government of Canada is committed to demonstrating a clean environment and a strong economy can go hand-in-hand. Tabling this legislation is another step towards fulfilling our promise to formalize the tanker moratorium on British Columbia's north coast. This, and other actions we are taking to improve marine safety through the Oceans Protection Plan, will protect the coasts and waterways that Canadians depend on for generations to come, " said Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport.

International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Kitack Lim has stressed the vital importance of collaborative efforts to leave ‘no hiding place’ for substandard shipping. Lim was addressing the third Joint Ministerial Conference of the Paris and Tokyo Memoranda of Understanding on Port State Control in Vancouver, Canada (May 3-4). Port State Control is the mechanism that enables officials from a port state to board and inspect foreign-flag ships to ensure they comply with the necessary safety and environmental regulations. By sharing information and data and adopting uniform operational procedures, regional Port State Control organizations can make it harder for sub-standards ships to slip through their net.

The U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) and the Canadian St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation have jointly marked the opening of the Seaway’s 59th navigation season. The official opening ceremony of the binational waterway took place on March 20 at the St. Lambert Lock in Montreal with Canadian Transport Minister Marc Garneau attending as honored guest and SLSMC President and CEO Terence Bowles and SLSDC Deputy Administrator Craig H. Middlebrook addressing the gathering. “The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System is a tremendous asset that provides a safe and efficient means of moving cargo worldwide,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao.

The President and CEO of the Montreal Port Authority (MPA), M me Sylvie Vachon, today presented the Gold-Headed Cane to the shipping agent Denis Blondeau SMK Tanker Agency for the captain Danel Ju. Mr. Danel Ju of South Korean nationality and is the commander of Chem Sirius , going vessel to enter the Port of Montreal without a stopover in 2017. The Chem Sirius left the port of Antwerp, Belgium, on 19 December. He spent the limits of the Port of Montreal on 1 st January to March h 16. M me Sylvie Vachon turned to the audience saying: "Just arrived in Antwerp, Belgium, Captain Ju had to start the same day to Charleston, South Carolina, on the vessel Chem Sirius .

Investments made by the Government of Canada and the Montréal Port Authority to enhance the Port of Montréal’s infrastructure will make the global movement of goods more fluid, create direct and indirect jobs in transportation systems across the country, contribute to national prosperity and help grow the middle class. The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, on behalf of the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and Ms. Sylvie Vachon, President and CEO of the Montréal Port Authority, today celebrated the inauguration of a new container terminal in the Viau sector. The new container terminal will boost the Port of Montréal’s handling capacity by 450,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit).

The two-year oil price crash has hurt a Canadian government program that funds research on oil spill cleanups, resulting in fewer applicants than expected, a senior federal official said. As a result, the government will expand the scope of its Oil Spill Response Science Program and open a second call for applications this month, Marc Wickham, Natural Resources Canada's director of energy science and technology programs, said in an interview late last week. The program funds research that improves cleanup methods for marine oil spills. Those eligible include production, pipeline and shipping companies in the energy sector. Wickham spoke with Reuters after it obtained details of the program's amendment through an access-to-information request.

Port Metro Vancouver today released its 2015 year-end statistics. Overall volume remained steady at 138 million tonnes of cargo as sectors experiencing declines were offset by others that hit new records. This is the port’s third consecutive year of strong cargo volumes, with new records set in the container, potash, and grain and agri-product sectors. Cargo shipped in containers continued to show substantial growth due to increased trade with Asia, with a five per cent jump in units (known as twenty-foot-equivalent units or TEUs) for a new record of 3.1 million TEUs. Grain and agri-product exports increased by eight per cent over 2014 to 25.1 million metric tonnes, and potash exports were 8.7 million metric tonnes, up 15.6 per cent from the prior year.

Ballast water management experts, meeting at the recent IMO-GloBallast R&D Forum in Canada, have showcased the latest developments in ballast water management and highlighted the areas where further research is needed, in order to prevent the spread of potentially harmful species in ballast water. Some 140 participants from IMO Member States, academia, private sector, testing facilities and the maritime technology industry were meeting at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montreal, Canada, for the 6th Global Environment Facility (GEF)-United Nations Development Program (UNDP)-IMO GloBallast R&D Forum and Exhibition on Ballast Water Management (16-18 March 2016), under the banner “Ballast Water Management Convention – moving towards implementation”.

The Canadian Government has committed $51.9 million to support Atlantic Canada ferry services, announced Canada’s Transport Minister Marc Garneau. The funding, announced as part of Budget 2016, will support operations, maintain and repair ferry assets and dispose of the MV Princess of Acadia, which was taken out of service in July 2015 and replaced by the MV Fundy Rose. The funding has enabled the one year extension of contracts for interprovincial ferry services in Atlantic Canada…

Ferry operators across Canada applaud new changes made by the federal government that will allow infrastructure projects related to ferries to be eligible for funding under the New Building Canada Fund, according to the Canadian Ferry Operators Association (CFOA). The original eligibility criteria for the fund, established in 2014, excluded most projects related to ferries, meaning very few operators have been able to apply for infrastructure projects. The CFOA and provincial governments have worked together urging Transport Minister Marc Garneau and Infrastructure Minister Amarjeet Sohi to revise the criteria to include ferries and ferry operators.

Canada will push ahead with a moratorium on oil tanker traffic along the northern coast of British Columbia, effectively slamming the door on a controversial pipeline project that was already facing massive development hurdles. In a letter released on Friday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau instructed Transport Minister Marc Garneau to work with numerous other ministries to "formalize" the ban on oil tanker traffic, a Liberal campaign promise ahead of the federal elections last month.