In an effort to lower the impact of trade on its coastal communities, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is asking commercial vessel operators anchoring around British Columbia’s Gulf Islands to curb arrivals and departures at night.
Starting July 1, the port authority has encouraging ships operators to conduct arrivals and departures in the area between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. as a way of curbing noise. A six-month trial is being conducted before a permanent decision is made.
The time window is part of a larger effort to reduce trade impact on communities. In 2022, more than 75 night vessel arrivals and departures at Southern Gulf Islands anchorages are estimated to be avoided during the trial period, according to the port.
“The arrival and departure window for ships anchoring around the Southern Gulf Islands is the result of close collaboration with our industry and supply chain partners, as we all work together to find effective ways to balance moving Canada’s growing trade through the region with community considerations,” Vancouver Fraser Port Authority Director of Marine Operations and Harbor Master Capt. Shri Madiwal said.
“A key piece of feedback from Indigenous and local communities was that overnight arrivals and departures around the Southern Gulf Islands can be particularly disruptive,” Madiwal said, and we are confident that updating our anchorage scheduling windows will make a difference to those living near Southern Gulf Islands anchorages.”
