Transport Canada

As the international shipping industry continues to explore measures to conserve and protect underwater life, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is proposing the future monitoring of Underwater Radiated Noise (URN), which may lead to the establishment of thresholds combined with long-term monitoring requirements for certain regions.

Underwater noise from ships can significantly impact marine life by disrupting communication, navigation, and feeding behaviors in various species. This noise pollution can cause stress, disorientation, and even physical harm to marine animals, particularly those that rely on sound, such as whales, dolphins, and fish, leading to potential long-term consequences for their populations and ecosystems.

In the HyPNoS (Hydrodynamic Propeller Noise Monitoring System) research project, international propulsion specialist SCHOTTEL, together with project funder Transport Canada and partner BC Ferries, investigated the emission of URN from ship propulsion systems in the waters off Vancouver, Canada. The focus was on developing methods for measuring, predicting and reporting URN and deriving optimized design measures to reduce it. The research now culminates in the development of an on-board, real-time URN reporting system for crew and vessel operators.  

Development of a unique URN monitoring system
The establishment of environmental protection zones regarding URN emissions or the sighting of endangered marine life currently forces ships to avoid certain areas or to reduce their speed when passing through them. However, reducing speed does not always guarantee a reduction in URN. Hull vibration above the propeller is known to correlate directly with underwater noise. HyPNoS investigated the possibility of reducing underwater noise on a series of double-ended ferries in Canada, with the aim of developing a unique URN monitoring system based on state-of-the-art machine learning technology. The immediate motivation for the HyPNoS project was the protection of whale species, specifically the Southern Resident Killer Whales in the Strait of Georgia near Vancouver.

The research was carried out as part of Transport Canada's Quiet Vessel Initiative (QVI). The research focused on developing and installing a working prototype of a calibrated live on-board URN monitoring system. This system provides live feedback to the crew and operator on the underwater noise emissions of their vessels during operation, allowing operational measures to be used to influence the emitted noise.

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As part of our work promoting safety at sea under the Oceans Protection Plan, Transport Canada is reviewing how we oversee domestic commercial vessels.

We want to hear from you!

We want to hear how you think we could improve our domestic small vessel oversight system. Our goal is to make sure we use our resources in the best way to keep Canadians as safe as possible.

Our consultation will take place in phases. In this first phase, we’re looking for your feedback on how we can meet your oversight and safety expectations.

Your feedback will be used alongside research on international practices, an internal Transport Canada review, and an examination of incident data, to help us develop options for a new approach to oversight.

Once we’ve developed these options, we will hold another online consultation and ask for your feedback.

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Transport Canada is starting new regulatory development to help increase access to marine emergency services and improve response to pollution incidents. As an initial step, we have published an online discussion paper to seek input to help determine the scope and key features of these potential regulations.  

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The Marine Safety Management System Regulations have been published in the Canada Gazette, Part II and have entered into force. The Regulations introduce safety management system requirements for the majority of Canada’s domestic vessel fleet. The Regulations divide Canada’s vessel fleet into five classes, each with its own set of safety management system requirements and oversight requirements. The class in which a vessel is placed is determined by its size, type, and operation.

The transition period for vessel owners to comply with the new requirements will vary according to the category of vessel.

The details of the policy and procedures for the certification of safety management systems, frequency of inspection, as well as verification of safety management system implementation for each vessel class are described in TP15566 – Guide for Canadian Vessels’ Operators for Compliance with the Marine Safety Management System Regulations, available on the Transport Canada website.

For additional information, please contact MSSRegulations-ReglementsSSM@tc.gc.ca.

Regards,

Canadian Marine Advisory Council Secretariat

Announcement that proposed regulations amending the oil spill preparedness requirements for Transport Canada-certified response organizations and oil handling facility operators were pre-published in Part I of the Canada Gazette on June 22, 2024. The draft Regulations Amending and Repealing Certain Regulations Made under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 (Environmental Response) build on comments received during discussions and in response to the discussion paper considering changes to the oil spill preparedness requirements that was posted on the Transport Canada’s Consultation website from December 2023 to February 2024.

Comments on the proposed changes may be submitted through the Canada Gazette website until September 5, 2024, at this link. For more information on how to submit your comments, please see: “How to Comment on Proposed Regulations”.  

The Canadian Navigable Waters Act (CNWA) Legislative Review team is pleased to inform you that the CNWA Discussion Paper has been published on Canada.ca and is available to the public. This discussion paper is intended to seek feedback and guide discussions with stakeholders to find out how the Act can be refined, and where we can build upon successes.  

Your insights are invaluable to us as we navigate this legislative review process. We encourage you to take the time to read the discussion paper and provide any feedback you may have on the Act. Your input will help us ensure that the legislation reflects the diverse needs and perspectives of all stakeholders involved. 

The discussion paper can be accessed directly here: Canadian Navigable Waters Act legislative review.

We welcome any comments, suggestions, or concerns you may have regarding the Canadian Navigable Waters Act. Should you wish to meet with us virtually to share your views, please reach out to us at TC.CNWAreview-ExamenLENC.TC@tc.gc.ca to schedule a meeting. 

We greatly appreciate your participation and look forward to receiving your input.  

Thank you,

CNWA Legislative Review Team

Navigation Protection Program

Transport Canada | Government of Canada

Under Pillar 4 of the Strategy – Greening Marine Transportation – Ontario aims to build an environmentally sustainable marine sector and an overall greener provincial transportation network by supporting low-carbon initiatives, including alternative fuels research. As part of the actions under this pillar, Ontario is committed to working with the federal government to support Transport Canada’s Canadian Green Shipping Corridor Framework goal of a net-zero path by 2050 for Canada’s marine sector.

As you may be aware, on December 1^st, Transport Canada announced the creation of the Green Shipping Corridor Program and launched a call for proposals under the program. There are a few upcoming deadlines that we would like to bring to your attention:

   For the Clean Vessel Demonstration Stream – Grants, applications must be received by Transport Canada before 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time (PST) on January 22, 2024 (*Please note that this deadline has been extended from January 8, 2024, according to email communications from Transport Canada).

• For the Clean Ports Stream, applications must be received by Transport Canada before 11:59 pm PST on February 26, 2024.
• For the Clean Vessel Demonstration Stream – Contribution, applications must be received by Transport Canada before 11:59 pm PST on February 26, 2024.

More details about the program and various streams can be found in the links above, including Transport Canada’s program contact information for any questions. We would like to highlight this opportunity, as it might be of interest to your organization. You are encouraged to review program information carefully and to stay connected with Transport Canada for any updates or communications regarding the program.

Thank you,

Ontario Marine Partnership and Development Office

As people continue to gather in expanding cities, noise pollution has been described as the next public health crisis. In the ocean, this situation is aggravated as sound travels further in water than it does in air. With the sound from a ship’s propeller hitting up to 170 decibels, the equivalent of a rocket engine at lift-off, and travelling up to 160 km before fully dissipating, the survival of marine life is threatened. Imagine what it’s like to be a marine animal with container ships, ferries and other commercial vessels passing overhead. When affected by noise, whales and many other marine animals struggle to communicate, eat, and reproduce.

In response, a project developed by Clear Seas and funded by Transport Canada’s Quiet Vessel Initiative and Mitacs’ Accelerate Program brings together a research team of engineers and marine biologists at the University of British Columbia to solve this serious problem by harnessing the power of artificial intelligence. To help them with their work, the research team have invited experts from across North America to join a collaborative design workshop in Vancouver, BC on June 1-2 to develop innovative ways to tackle this issue of underwater noise from ships.

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 Transport Canada's Clean Marine R&D Group has posted a request for proposals (RFP) on Buyandsell.gc.ca.

The objective of the RFP is to solicit marine demonstration projects that will:

•  Advance and demonstrate the technological and/or commercial readiness of ZEPS (zero emission propulsion system) for Canada's domestic vessels;
•  Characterize ZEPS (zero emission propulsion system) performance and benefits (e.g. fuel consumption reduction, operational and maintenance costs, potential for commercial sustainability);
•  Identify technical, regulatory or codes & standards barriers to the adoption of ZEPS (zero emission propulsion system) for Canada's domestic fleet, including associated fuel infrastructure, and recommend potential mitigations/solutions; and
•  Advance publicly-available science, research and knowledge about ZEPS (zero emission propulsion system) in Canada

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One of the main ways that harmful aquatic invasive species arrive, or spread, in Canadian waters is from vessel hull biofouling. In-water cleaning of vessel hulls can be an effective and important means to manage biofouling, provided it is conducted properly. At the last CMAC Environmental Standing Committee meeting, Transport Canada indicated it would soon launch consultations on a voluntary guidance regarding in-water cleaning of vessels of over 24 metres in length. This guidance is part of Transport Canada’s ongoing work to protect the Canadian marine environment from maritime activities.

This draft guidance is now available for review, and you are invited to share your views here: Let’s Talk Transportation. Public consultations will remain open until August 2^nd, 2021. 

Questions about the draft voluntary guidance can also be directed to biofouling-encrassementbiologique@tc.gc.ca.

Ship Safety Bulletins are issued by Transport Canada's Marine Safety Directorate and are aimed at owners, authorized representatives and operators of commercial vessels, including other interested marine industry stakeholders. The bulletins are a source of accurate and up-to-date ship safety information, paramount to the safety of life at sea and one of the important mechanisms for conveying timely information pertaining to safeguards against identified risks and/or direction to industry. 

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