Transport committee  I will try to be brief. Everything that we—

Transport committee  Maybe I should submit it in writing, in graphic form. But basically, everything that is marine is clearly under the IMDG Code. Then when it comes to the interface with land in Canada, the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act is triggered. The goods must always be identified and carry that documentation, and so on and so forth.

Transport committee  Well, the number of ships and the number of calls are about the same thing. We count calls rather than ships.

Transport committee  Yes, there's generally a big difference depending on how you count it. If it's by ships or by tonnage, the ships tend to become bigger and bigger, and therefore to carry the same tonnage you need fewer ships. But the tonnage is definitely up. The number of ships is going up too but less than the tonnage, because the ships are getting bigger.

Transport committee  The IMO doesn't audit. The IMO sets standards and conventions. The ones who audit regularly are the classification societies. This is also done by the flag state, and you have inspections at the ports where the inspectors as a part of port state control will check that you have everything in order.

Transport committee  The real audit is made according to the flag state to ensure it's being coordinated.

Transport committee  To make sure that it's being done, it is. That's why we have the port state inspections, because, you know, it is another pair of eyes in all the countries of the world that have no direct interest in the well-being of the shipowner in question. If you click on the link in the appendix that was forwarded to the clerk, when you see the various reports of Paris MOU, Tokyo MOU, U.S.

Transport committee  Yes, of course. I cannot say more than that, but we've been recommending for a number of years that the charts need to be updated to make sure they are up to modern standards and so on and so forth. We know the Arctic is huge and it is more difficult to chart there, but it's something that needs to be done and it's something that we've been relaying to the government on a regular basis.

Transport committee  It's something that I can take note of and can respond to the committee.

Transport committee  We think the three-pillar approach mentioned earlier is the right way to go. We start with the first pillar, which is everything to do with marine safety, to prevent accidents. That is the most important pillar. The second pillar is secondary to the first, but it is important nonetheless.

Transport committee  It is because that's a basis. It is very difficult to navigate without charts. You need to have very good charts. It is even a legal requirement to have charts on board and to have the latest updated version. Those are actually the basics of navigation—to have a ship and a chart.

Transport committee  Yes. I remember that we made this recommendation at the time. I don't remember the exact details of it because we worked as a team on that. I was not the only one to work on that document. However, this was before the tanker safety panel exercise that led to a report issued last fall by the tanker safety panel.

Transport committee  Yes, I'm finished.

Transport committee  Thank you for inviting the Shipping Federation of Canada to testify on this matter today. The Federation has represented ocean shipping in Canada since 1903. We represent all segments of ocean shipping from coast to coast. The world fleet that serves Canada represents the vast majority of commercial ships’ calls and of the freight volumes carried on Canadian waters.

Transport committee  Yes.