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Section 2

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Coastal Area Review of Potential Places of Refuge in the Atlantic Region

Background

The consideration of potential “Places of Refuge” for ships in need of assistance became necessary and timely in light of the recent adoption by IMO of Resolution A.949(23) “Guidelines on Places of Refuge for Ships in Need of Assistance” and Resolution A. 950(23) “Maritime Assistance Services”(MAS). These guidelines offer advice to both coastal states and masters of ships as to the manner in which situation giving rise to a request for access to a place of refuge might be best handled.

The focus on the “Places of Refuge” issue was brought up by three significant shipping disasters (oil tankers “ERIKA”, “CASTOR” and “PRESTIGE”), which impacted mainly the coasts of Europe. These incidents resulted in very serious damage to coastline ecosystems, communities and businesses. The scale of the damage and the political response to it have given rise to intense international interest and concern. This has led to the development of the Guidelines, which provide a framework for decision making that will help to ensure a thorough and balanced risk assessment, all concerns of the stakeholders to be considered and the best risk control strategy decided and implemented in a timely and safely manner.

Transport Canada has developed the National Places of Refuge Contingency Plan (PORCP) TP 14707E as a framework for deciding a suitable “Places of Refuge” in Canada.

Evaluation of the Atlantic Coast Line

This process will facilitate the risk evaluation and compare one option to another in the event of an incident. The most suitable “Place of Refuge” can only be determined after the details of the specific incident are known and thoroughly considered on a case by case basis, as the limitations, operation considerations, hazards and associated risks can vary greatly with each incident.

Transport Canada Marine Safety – Atlantic Region has taken this into consideration when performing the evaluation of the Atlantic Coast of Canada in order to assemble data that will be used to expedite the case specific analysis and decision making process. This evaluation of the Atlantic Canada coastline is not a process for “pre-designation” or “ pre-identification”, but is meant to establish factors of suitability of such places, facilities, and resources to assist a ship in these places and will help to identify the nature and degree of risk from the environmental social and economic point of view.

Current Status

Transport Canada Marine Safety Branch supports the IMO Resolutions A .949(23) and A .950(23) regarding the Places of Refuge for ships in need of assistance and Maritime Assistance Services.

National Contingency Plans for responding to a request for a place of refuge have been developed at Transport Canada Headquarters in Ottawa.

Departmental Position

Transport Canada recognizes that because of the international nature of shipping, action to mitigate risks and prevent incidents related to ships requesting places of refuge is most effectively carried out through the implementation of IMO Resolution A. 949(23) “Guidelines on Places of Refuge for Ships in Need of Assistance” and Resolution A. 950(23) “Maritime Assistance Services”(MAS).

Transport Canada is committed to consult with other Federal and Provincial Departments to form an assessment team as well as with all other interested stakeholders to select suitable “place of refuge” on a case-by-case basis when a request is received on the East Coast of Canada.

Transport Canada is committed to maintaining and updating the national and regional Contingency Plan. Transport Canada will carry out a risk assessment on a case to case basis together with a decision making mechanism regarding Places of Refuge for ships in need of assistance in order to ensure a safe, efficient and environmentally friendly transportation system.

Atlantic Region List of Evaluated Places of Refuge

Ref #	Place of Refuge Name	Province	Chart Sailing Directions	Winter Ice	Pilotage VTMS Port Authority	Anchorage Depths Bottom	Swing Area	Shelter Provided	Response Org.	Oil Handling Facilities	Facilities
1.	Saint John, (Courtney Bay)	New Brunswick	4117 4116 ATL 106	Ice Free	Compulsory Fundy Traffic Saint John Port Authority	Areas A & B 11 to 25 m, Mud, Sand Area C 30 to 50 m, Sand, Shale	1 mile 1.5 miles	Exposed SW to SE winds / seas Very large tides and currents	ALERT	Canaport Offshore & Onshore	Tugs Berths Contractors TCMS Office
2.	Shelburne	Nova Scotia	4209 ATL 105	Ice Free	Non-Compulsory No VTMS Public Port	N & S of Adament Rk in 9 to 13 m, mud. 3.8 Cables E of Harts Pt, 11 m, mud.	3 cables 2 cables	Sheltered	ECRC	No	Shipyard 3,000 tonnes Contractors
3.	Halifax	Nova Scotia	4237 4201 4202 4203 ATL 105	Ice Free	Compulsory Halifax Traffic Halifax Port Authority	Inner Hbr 1 to 7, 14 to 20 m, Mud Bedford Basin 8 to 12, 40 to 70 m, Mud, Rock Approaches A & B 40 to 60 m Rock	1.8 cables 4 cables 1 mile	Sheltered Open to N to NE Exposed, Poor Holding Ground	ECRC	Imperial Oil Ultramar Wilson Fuels McAsphalt	Shipyard 36,000 tonnes & 173 m Tugs Berths (Oil, Containers, General) Contractors TCMS Office
4.	Chedabucto Bay Inhabitants Bay Strait of Canso Superport	Nova Scotia	4335 4306 4307 4308 ATL 104	Possible Pack Ice Ice Free Ice Free	Compulsory Canso Traffic Public Ports	A to F, 25 to 48 m. Mud I 18 m in Mud Very deep water	2 miles 1 mile	Open to E’ly Sheltered Sheltered	PTMSC	Statia Terminal	Tugs Berths (Oil, Stone, Coal General) Contractors TCMS Office
5.	Sydney	Nova Scotia	4266 ATL 104	Pack Ice Heavy Pressure	Compulsory No VTMS Public Port	6 cables NW Point Edward, 11 m in Mud 6 cables NE Point Edward, 15m in Mud	5 cables 4 cables	Open to N to NE Sheltered	ECRC	Imperial Oil	Shipyard 2,000 tonnes Berths (Oil, General, Coal) Contractors TCMS Office
6.	Chaleur Bay Dalhousie Belledune	New Brunswick	4486 4920 4426 ATL 108	Pack Ice Heavy Pressure	Non-Compulsory No VTMS Public Ports Belledune Port Authority	Nepisiguit Bay 23m in SSh Berths Berths	2 miles	Open to NE Sheltered Sheltered	ECRC	NB Power Belldune	Berths Contractors TCMS Office
7.	Corner Brook Bay of Islands Humber Arm	Newfound-land & Labrador	4652 4653 ATL 109	Pack IceHeavy Pressure	Compulsory No VTMS Corner Brook Port Corporation	Bay of Islands, 1 mile N of Seal Island, 80 to 100m Humber Arm, 80 to 100 m throughout, in Mud	1 mile 4 cables	Open to NW Sheltered	ECRC	Irving Oil	Berths (Oil, General) Contractors TCMS Office
8.	Marystown	Newfound-land & Labrador	4587 ATL 102	Possible Pack Ice	Non-Compulsory Placentia Traffic Public Port	6 cables N of Seal Rk, 76m in Mud/Gravel	6 cables		ECRC	No	Shipyard 3000 tonnes Berths Contractors TCMS Office
9.	Come by Chance Whiffen Head	Newfoundland & Labrador	4839 4622 ATL 102	Possible Pack Ice	Compulsory Placentia Traffic Public Port	AA 80m RG Emergencies Only BB 75m MRS Crude Tankers CC 55m MR Product Tankers DD 30m MSh Product Tankers EE 25m M Vessels less than 10,000 dwt	5 cables 5 cables 5 cables 2.5 cables 1 cable	Sheltered Sheltered Sheltered Sheltered Sheltered	ECRC	Newfoudland Transshipment Ltd.	Tugs Berths 326,000 dwt 67,000 dwt Contractors
10.	Lewisporte Indian Arm	Newfoundland & Labrador	4865 ATL 101	Pack Ice Heavy Pressure	Compulsory No VTMS Public Port	9 cables NW of Mussel Bed Rock. 50m in Mud	9 cables	Sheltered	ECRC	Imperial Oil	Berth Contractors TCMS Office
11.	Hamilton Inlet Groswater Bay (Approaches)	Newfoundland & Labrador	4732 5140 5135 ATL 120	Pack Ice Heavy Pressure Ice bergs, bergy bits	Available, Non-Compulsory No VTMS Goose Bay is a Public Port	3.9 miles E of East Sister Island. 45m in Mud	1.5 miles	Sheltered	ECRC	No	Goose Bay Lies further west. Offers airport, hospital, and hotels.

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Date modified:

2012-02-24

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