*401/20Transport Canada – COVID-19 Measures, Updates and Guidance

(Recurrent publication of notice *401/20, originally published in the Notices to Mariners – Monthly Western Edition 04/2020 publication.)

Please refer to the link below for the latest updates to transportation related measures taken by Transport Canada in response to the evolving novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19):
https://www.tc.gc.ca/en/initiatives/covid-19-measures-updates-guidance-tc.html.

For travel advice and all other updates, please visit: Canada.ca/coronavirus.

*1105/21West Coast Haida Gwaii – Voluntary Protection Zone for Shipping

(Recurrent publication of notice *1105/21, originally published in the Notices to Mariners – Monthly Western Edition 11/2021 publication.)

Reference: Notice *903/21 is cancelled.

Voluntary Protection Zone for Shipping, West Coast Haida Gwaii (formerly Queen Charlotte Islands)

Haida Gwaii’s remote location, rugged coastline, variable sea and weather conditions, and rich ecological and cultural heritage make it vulnerable to the potential for pollution from shipping breakdowns and accidents. Increasing the distance vessels travel offshore can increase the amount of time available to address propulsion, steering or other issues, and the likelihood of a towing vessel being able to respond to a vessel that is disabled or drifting. This in turn reduces the risk of grounding and oil spills.
A Voluntary Protection Zone for Shipping on the West Coast of Haida Gwaii is currently in effect. In the Voluntary Protection Zone, commercial vessels of 500 gross tonnage or greater shall observe a minimum distance of 50 nautical miles offshore when transiting along the West Coast of Haida Gwaii with the following exceptions:

–Cruise vessels, to observe a minimum 12 nm distance from shore;

–Vessels transiting between Pacific Northwest ports (Washington, Alaska, BC), to observe a minimum 25 nm distance from shore;
–Tugs and barges (including pushing and towing alongside), no minimum distance; and

–Fishing vessels, no minimum distance.

The Voluntary Protection Zone for Shipping coordinates are:

Vessels are requested to adhere to these distances on a voluntary basis and only when it does not jeopardize the safety of navigation, the vessel, the persons aboard, and the cargo.

(NW-P-1085-20)

*905/22Transport Canada – British Columbia North Coast Waterway Management Guidelines

(Recurrent publication of notice *905/22, originally published in the Notices to Mariners – Monthly Western Edition 09/2022 publication.)

The North Coast Waterway Management Guidelines are voluntary guidelines that aim to improve safety on the water by reducing conflicts between First Nations’ marine use activities, such as fishing and shoreline harvesting, and commercial vessels on the shipping route between Kitimat and Browning Entrance. The guidelines came into effect on September 1, 2022, and will be reviewed from time to time.

The guidelines apply to all vessels navigating on the route between Kitimat and Browning Entrance, on the north coast of British Columbia. This area includes:

The complete guidelines document is available at the following link:

https://www.notmar.gc.ca/publications/monthly/documents/NorthCoastWaterwayManagementGuidelines_Sept2022.pdf

Nothing in these guidelines replaces or changes how we apply any Canadian or international laws or regulations, including the Collision Regulations. Furthermore, nothing in these guidelines prevents or limits the master or pilot of a ship from making any decisions to protect the vessel, the crew, or the marine environment.

The guidelines include information for:

•all vessels that covers:

-inshore safety zones
-routing measures
-speed reductions
-guidelines for meeting and passing

-a special operating area in Wright Sound, and

-guidelines in case of a mechanical or electrical breakdown

•large commercial ships, including bulk carriers, general cargo vessels, liquid bulk vessels, and passenger vessels
•tugs and barges, and

•vessels operating in First Nations Areas of Concern where you must pay special attention to make sure local community users can transit and use the area safely.

*1206/22Canadian Coast Guard – Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) Service in Canada Permanently Discontinued

(Recurrent publication of notice *1206/22, originally published in the Notices to Mariners – Monthly Western Edition 12/2022 publication.)

As of December 15, 2022, the Canadian Coast Guard has permanently discontinued the provision of its DGPS service across Canada.

Discontinuing this service aligns with Coast Guard’s efforts to modernize marine navigation services and find alternatives to aging DGPS infrastructures.

Today’s GPS meets the needs of international Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) requirements. Further, for mariners in Canadian waters, there is no carriage requirement for ground or space-based augmentation capability on board vessels for Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS).

Modern GNSS receivers can use the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) as a viable alternative to DGPS. Coast Guard’s technical review of PNT solutions for Canada, and a study of the performance of WAAS found coverage to be excellent throughout Canada, including up to 72’ north latitude in the Arctic.

*101/23Canadian Hydrographic Service – Nautical Charts

*102/23Canadian Hydrographic Service – Electronic Navigational Charts

*103/23 Transport Canada – Ship Safety Bulletin #31/2022

A new Ship Safety Bulletin has recently been posted on the Transport Canada website.

To view or download this bulletin, please click on the link below:

SSB#31/2022 – Revised application forms to obtain a safe manning document - apply online – Updated December 2022
RDIMS# 19198081

Sign up for e-Bulletin to receive an e-mail notice each time a new Ship Safety Bulletin is published on our website.

Contact us at marinesafety-securitemaritime@tc.gc.ca or 1-855-859-3123 (Toll Free).

Section 1A: Temporary and Preliminary Notices

Inland Waters

Pacific Coast

Temporary Notices

*110/23Laredo Sound – AIS Unit Removed

Reference: Notice 610(T)/21 is cancelled (Chart 3980).

Jaffrey Rock light and whistle buoy E64 (LL 622) is no longer equipped with an Automatic Identification System (AIS).

No notices applicable for this edition.

*111(T)/23Canadian Coast Guard – Automatic Identification System (AIS)

Reference: Notice *208(T)/21 is cancelled.

AIS Aids to Navigation (AtoNs)

Mariners are advised that the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) is continuing to conduct supervised test beds of AIS AtoNs, with the objective of bringing AIS AtoNs to Full Operational Capability (FOC). Specific information on AIS AtoN test bed sites can be found on the CCG e-Navigation Maritime Information Portal at https://e-navigation.canada.ca/topics/aids/docs/ais-aton/locations-en.

Although AIS was originally developed as a collision avoidance tool for vessels, it also allows for the broadcasting of other types of data, such as the AIS AtoN “Message 21” (AIS AtoN Report).

Ships need to be equipped with standard shipborne AIS equipment for the display of AIS messages. The IMO mandatory carriage requirement for the Class “A” AIS display is the Minimum Keyboard Display (MKD), however, the display and use of the AtoN information may require additional hardware and/or software such as an AIS-connected Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS), Electronic Chart System (ECS), Radar or Portable Pilot Unit (PPU).

As the AIS information available to mariners will be dependent on their display system and its compliance with the latest IMO and IALA standards, some transmitted information may not be displayed or may have a different symbol. Mariners are encouraged to install and upgrade systems that provide AIS overlay on ECDIS, ECS and/or Radar. Mariners should be familiar with the display settings on their vessel’s shipborne equipment.

All geographical positions (latitude and longitude) are based on the WGS 84 datum; time is displayed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

CCG is making every effort to broadcast quality information; however, as with any navigational tool, mariners should not rely on this information as their sole means of navigation.

Mariners are advised to consult the CCG e-Navigation web page on AIS AtoN, accessible at https://e-navigation.canada.ca/topics/aids/docs/ais-aton/index-en for pertinent information, including examples of AIS AtoN display and symbology.

Individual NAVWARNs and/or NOTMARs are rarely issued for AIS AtoN trials.

Mariners are requested to provide feedback on the AIS AtoN test beds to the CCG e-Navigation Team at ccg.enav.gcc@dfo-mpo.gc.ca. In addition, mariners who wish to participate in CCG’s questionnaire on AIS AtoN are invited to access it at https://e-navigation.canada.ca/docs/surveys/asm-aton-en. The collected results will guide the CCG in further developing this information service.