Fisheries Committee on March 31st, 2022

[Satinder Singh]

Negative. That would be the ship's captain's responsibility. For containers coming into Canada and being off-loaded here in Canada on terminals, it would be CBSA's responsibility to make sure they are screened and properly managed. With regard to the terminal, they also have a responsibility in terms of the marine facility security plan, which looks after the overall terminal posture of security.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

We've heard that the ship may have delayed coming into port on its way in.

Could either of you confirm whether that is the case? If it did delay coming in, can you elaborate on why?

[Shri Madiwal]

I can answer that question, Mel. Thanks for the question.

The Zim Kingston was actually loitering out at sea when the incident occurred, with the high seas and bad weather. At that time, there were anchorages available in the port's jurisdiction. Unfortunately, the port authority did not receive any request for anchoring the vessel in the port.

I wouldn't be able to comment on that. The shipowner or the agent would be the right party to comment on why the vessel was still loitering when there was a safe refuge or anchorage available in the port.

I would also like to highlight the use of anchorages and the conditions we're seeing in the port. There are two major issues, one pandemic-related. Many vessels have COVID cases and require quarantine. In addition to that, the global supply chain challenges have really caused the whole supply chain to create a lot of disrupting activities.

In addition to that, last year in B.C., in 2021, we had major weather events—

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

I will have to ask you to be brief. If you wish to provide further information, we would be happy to receive it in writing. We have limited time for our questions.

You mentioned the contract tow vessels that are now on the west coast. I believe you were referring to the two that were contracted in 2018 for a period of three years, and then that contract was renewed in November 2021, for only a year.

Do you know if there are any long-term plans for tow vessels on the west coast? This three-year term with a one-year extension is almost up and leads to a question of what the west coast capacity is going to be in the future.

[Shri Madiwal]

Unfortunately, Mel, I don't have any response to that, or any indication on what the government's plan is around the extension or a national strategy on emergency towing.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Thank you.

On the tracking of the lost containers, we heard there are two that contain toxic materials that have not been recovered. What gaps are there in tracking or finding those two containers to make sure those toxic chemicals aren't released into the environment?

[Shri Madiwal]

Again, I don't have any information on that. I'm sorry, Mel. I think that will be a question most suited for the Canadian Coast Guard, which has been involved in tracking the containers.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Thank you.

With regard to the response time to the initial calls for assistance, do you have any information as to what those response times were and whether they were adequate to service the vessel's requirements?

[Shri Madiwal]

The initial fire incident was reported by the ship at approximately 12:45 p.m., and the Coast Guard did the first rescue operation at somewhere around 17:30 to 18:00. The first vessels that arrived on scene were the Maersk Tender and Maersk Trader. Those were the vessels of opportunity. That was close to midnight, so that was about 18 hours later. The next day in the morning, at 6:30, the emergency towing vessel was on site. There were some additional Coast Guard ships, but they wouldn't be able to assist with the firefighting operations.

That's the information we know right now in terms of the response timings.

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Thank you very much. My time is up.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ken McDonald]

Thank you, Mr. Arnold.

We will now go to Mr. Morrissey for five minutes or less, please.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Thank you, Chair.

Either captain can answer the question.

Following up from Ms. Barron, shipping container traffic has increased significantly over the past decade—one would say the past 20 years. My opinion is that it's the most efficient, most cost-effective way of moving goods and also the most environmentally friendly, because the large volume that's moved with little fuel consumption certainly has a big impact on reducing carbon emissions.

Could you comment briefly on what impact you have seen on the west coast in the growth in the past year? In Canada, we're an exporting and importing country. Is my assumption correct that the container vessels are becoming bigger and more efficient?

Captain Madiwal.

[Shri Madiwal]

Thank you so much for the question, Robert.

The short answer is yes. As vessels grow larger, the carriers are looking at achieving economies of scale so that they can support the growing trade demands in Canada.

There is a perception that container vessels only support the import trade. Many people are not aware that they also support a lot of exports through Canada. A lot of grain exports also happen. Specialty crops go through the containers as well.

In the last decade, we have seen a consistent growth in the container trade. The prognosis and the forecast look very strong. Last year was, again, an anomaly in terms of the growth that we expected. It was almost the growth that we would have seen in the next three years that was achieved in year one.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

The energy consumed on a tonnage of goods moved by container overseas would be the lowest cost of moving of any transportation mode. Would I be correct on that?

[Shri Madiwal]

That's correct. For any mode of transportation, carriage by sea is the lowest in terms of the emissions standards.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

With this dramatic growth in container traffic and the size, could you comment on the incidents at sea of losing containers? It's limited or minor. Would I be correct in that assumption?

When an incident occurs, it gets international news, but it does not happen a lot. Is that a correct assumption?

[Shri Madiwal]

That is correct. Most of the incidents that have happened with the lost containers are related to the weather, but far [Inaudible—Editor].

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

Weather is weather. We cannot control that with anything.

I want you to comment briefly, Captain Madiwal. What was the situation like prior to 2018? You referenced in your statements the two leased vessels, and Mr. Arnold referenced.... What was there before these two vessels were contracted by the Government of Canada?

[Shri Madiwal]

We didn't have anything.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

We had nothing.

[Shri Madiwal]

We had nothing. We relied on private companies.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

So the response time, the infrastructure and the capability have significantly improved with these two vessels.

[Shri Madiwal]

That's correct.

[Bobby Morrissey, Liberal, Egmont, PE]

So it's essential that we go there.

Thank you, Captain Madiwal.

Captain Singh, you stated that the Nanaimo port should have been involved sooner, that it would have shortened the salvage time or response time.

Could you explain briefly how it would have reduced the time and may have mitigated the environmental damage?

[Satinder Singh]

Yes, definitely.

How it would have expedited the process would be that we would have had all the information to work with that was already disseminated with the various parties prior to the Nanaimo Port Authority being involved. Having that information from the onset would have allowed decision-making and internal meetings to be had and for the Snuneymuxw First Nation to be engaged early on in the process, as well.

I think those were the things I was alluding to.