canada – Pacific Maritime Magazine

04 Jun

Seaspan Developing Canada’s First Heavy Polar Icebreaker in 60 Years

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newscanada, icebreaker, seaspan

Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards is in the process of developing Canada’s first heavy polar icebreaker in more than six decades. At Canada’s Global Defense & Security Trade Show on May 29, the Vancouver, British Columbia-based company gave defense and security representatives an update on its progress. Seaspan said more than 70% of the vessel’s functional design is complete, while the vessel’s 3D modeling is “well advanced,” paving the way for Seaspan to cut steel for the Canadian Coast Guard’s icebreaker vessel before the end of 2024. The 158-meter-long IACS Polar Class 2 (PC2) Heavy Icebreaker is designed to accommodate up to…

04 Jun

Prince Rupert Port Authority’s CANXPORT Project Secures Loan

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newscanada, canxport, princerupert

The Prince Rupert Port Authority has secured a $150 million loan from Canada Infrastructure Bank to fund the first phase of its export logistics hub project, CANXPORT, the port authority announced May 23. The new facility’s site is near Fairview Container Terminal, allowing for more access to capacity to better balance the amount of import and export cargoes and more efficiently containerize bulk commodities such as agricultural, forestry and plastic resin products, the port said. CANXPORT, which is set to begin operations in the third quarter of 2026, is anticipated to handle an initial annual capacity of 400,000 TEUs, according…

07 May

Seaspan Commemorates 30th Anniversary of Its Victoria Shipyard

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newscanada, seaspan, shipyard

British Columbia-based ship design, engineering, building and ship repair Seaspan announced April 25 that it has reached a significant milestone: the 30th anniversary of its Victoria Shipyard. Since its founding in 1994, the yard has grown from a team of five and one 20-foot shipping container into a major ship repair and modernization facility with an 800-person workforce. “Our workforce is the heart of our business and will always be the root of our success,” Seaspan Victoria Shipyards General Manager and Vice President Tony Winter said. “Together, we stand on the values and culture that was built 30 years ago:…

08 Aug

B.C. Longshore Workers Approve New Contract

Mark Edward NeroNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsbcmea, canada, ilwu

After a second vote, International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada members have agreed to accept a labor contract negotiated between union leadership and the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association, the ILWU revealed Aug. 4. The BCMEA and ILWU Canada had originally agreed to a deal on July 13, but rank and file members voted the proposal down on July 28, thereby putting the agreement in jeopardy. But on Aug. 2, leaders of ILWU Canada recommended that its 7,400 members approve the tentative new deal and during the Aug. 3-4 tally, about 75% of members voted to ratify the contract, according…

18 Jul

B.C. Longshore Workers Return to Work Following Tentative Four-Year Deal

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsbcmea, canada, ilw, strike

After a 13-day labor strike that suspended cargo movement in British Columbia, longshore workers returned to the waterfront following a tentative four-year agreement reached between the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada on July 13. Details of the tentative contract, which still needs to be ratified by both sides, were not made public. The employers association credited the work of federal mediator Peter Simpson and his team, who were instrumental in getting the tentative deal done with help from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service officers and Canada’s Minister of Labor, Seamus O’Regan…

26 Apr

Prince Rupert Cruise Terminal Expected to Reopen This Summer

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newscanada, cruiseseason, princerupert

After COVID-19 closed cruising for two years, the Prince Rupert Port Authority this month announced that cruise ships are returning to the Northland Terminal at the Port of Prince Rupert this summer. The 2022 cruise season is expected to include 26 cruise vessels with about 14,010 passengers traveling between May and September, according to the port authority. Cruising is a significant industry at Prince Rupert: between 2004 to 2019, cruising brought about 655,000 passengers and an estimated direct economic impact of more than $50 million. “PRPA and our partners are looking forward to safely welcoming back cruise passengers to Prince…