Ottawa urged to invest in the “blue highway”

Algoma Central Corporation, Canada Steamship Lines (CSL), Groupe Desgagnés, and Groupe NEAS are the co-signatories of an opinion letter.

Together, they are calling on the federal government to "use its $5 billion Trade Diversification Corridors Fund to invest in the marine transportation corridor, Canada's commercial fleet, and key ports."

In addition, they are asking the government to "provide adequate funding for icebreaking services" and to "support collaboration to ensure that the needs of all stakeholders are considered as part of this growth initiative."

The St. Lawrence Ship Operators also notes that the St. Lawrence–Great Lakes corridor contributes $66.1 billion to the economy and supports nearly 360,000 jobs.

The maritime industry has no intention of standing on the sidelines as the federal government announces new infrastructure investments. It points out that the "blue highway" stretching along this corridor spans 3,700 kilometres, from Duluth, Wisconsin, to the Atlantic Ocean. Including the Arctic and the Northwest Passage, the corridor extends up to 16,000 kilometres.

"Of course, we've all taken note of the federal government's priorities, particularly its commitment to advancing nation-building projects," says Saul Polo, President and CEO of the St. Lawrence Ship Operators, speaking from CSL's offices. "As an industry, we're trying to speak with one unified voice."

He argues that current infrastructure would not be capable of supporting the federal government's objective of doubling exports to markets outside the United States.

"When the government announces a dedicated $5 billion fund, we not only want to raise our hand as an industry to ensure our projects are prioritized, but we also want our industry to seize the opportunities associated with these investments, just as the government has already done with shipbuilding and other strategic sectors."

— Saul Polo, President and CEO of the St. Lawrence Ship Operators

"We want to ensure that neither our industry nor the Canadian economy misses the boat," he continues. "Because when the federal government says it wants to increase—or even double—exports to non-U.S. markets over the next decade, that will depend on major players like CSL and our industry partners."

"The Canadian fleet must be recognized as critical infrastructure," adds Chantal Picard, Chief Operating Officer for Canada, the Americas, and Australia at CSL. "Our vessels are essentially captive within the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway. They cannot simply operate internationally."

Ballast Water Management

One of the key issues highlighted by the signatories of the open letter concerns regulatory alignment—particularly with respect to ballast water management.

In 2021, Transport Canada introduced the Ballast Water Regulations, requiring vessel operators to manage ballast water in order to prevent the introduction of invasive aquatic species.

Ships built before 2009 have until September 2030 to comply with the regulations for operations in the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence. According to Mr. Polo, however, the regulation is "too far ahead of its time."

"It went much too far, much too quickly. It places some Canadian ship operators at a disadvantage compared to their U.S. counterparts. And 2030 is just around the corner," he says, noting that the Canadian regulations are not harmonized with those in the United States.

"Our request is very specific. In the United States, the entire fleet is grandfathered." — Chantal Picard, Chief Operating Officer for Canada, the Americas, and Australia at CSL

"There, vessel operators are not required to install ballast water management systems across their fleets. And those systems are expensive," she adds.

"Installing these systems on new vessels currently under construction certainly involves additional costs. But it is far less expensive than retrofitting vessels that are already in operation," adds the President and CEO of the St. Lawrence Ship Operators.

Biofuels

Conversely, Mr. Polo believes Canada is lagging behind other international jurisdictions when it comes to biofuels.

"Other jurisdictions recognize certain biofuels, whereas here in Canada, Transport Canada does not," he argues.

The most widely used biofuel in the maritime industry is biodiesel. At CSL, innovation in this area is already well underway.

"We've launched the world's largest biofuel program across half of our fleet," says Ms. Picard. "And we're ready to share the data from our biofuel program and collaborate with the industry and all stakeholders."

"We're also advancing our digital platforms to better integrate our operational data with ports and pilotage authorities, making the corridor more efficient," she concludes.

Article by Paul-Robert Raymond — Le Soleil

Read the original article here.