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Consultation has concluded
Mitigating Risks of Marine Fuel Spills in the Canadian Arctic
Transport Canada has made and continues to make significant efforts to protect the Canadian Arctic, both through our domestic marine regime and through collaboration with our international partners and organizations such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
One of the ways we are working to protect the Arctic is by reducing the risks of a fuel spill from ships, including ships using heavy fuel oil (HFO).
Use of Marine Fuels in the Arctic
The Government of Canada is working to further reduce the risk of marine fuel spills in the Arctic, including reducing the risk of a potential heavy fuel oil spill from ships.
Ongoing discussions at the IMO on the use of heavy fuel oil as fuel for ships in the Arctic have focused on:
Developing guidelines to reduce the risks of marine fuel use by ships in the Arctic; and
Developing a potential ban on the use of heavy fuel oil by ships in the Arctic, based on assessments by IMO members on the likely impact of such a ban.
On the first item, Transport Canada is working with international partners to explore options to reduce the risk of oil spills. Such options could include, for example, enhancing navigational measures, ship operations, infrastructure, and communications in the Arctic.
On the second item, to inform our position on a proposed ban, Transport Canada is working with partners to conduct an assessment of economic and social impacts of a proposed ban of heavy fuel oil as fuel for ships in the Arctic and moving to alternate fuels.
Share your ideas!
Click on “Register” at the top of the page or sign in
Respond to the questions below in the forum via the “Have Your Say” tab
Send a written submission via the “Submissions” tab
Requests for information and questions can also be directed to IMO-Canada-OMI@tc.gc.ca after June 28, 2019.
Mitigating Risks of Marine Fuel Spills in the Canadian Arctic
Transport Canada has made and continues to make significant efforts to protect the Canadian Arctic, both through our domestic marine regime and through collaboration with our international partners and organizations such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
One of the ways we are working to protect the Arctic is by reducing the risks of a fuel spill from ships, including ships using heavy fuel oil (HFO).
Use of Marine Fuels in the Arctic
The Government of Canada is working to further reduce the risk of marine fuel spills in the Arctic, including reducing the risk of a potential heavy fuel oil spill from ships.
Ongoing discussions at the IMO on the use of heavy fuel oil as fuel for ships in the Arctic have focused on:
Developing guidelines to reduce the risks of marine fuel use by ships in the Arctic; and
Developing a potential ban on the use of heavy fuel oil by ships in the Arctic, based on assessments by IMO members on the likely impact of such a ban.
On the first item, Transport Canada is working with international partners to explore options to reduce the risk of oil spills. Such options could include, for example, enhancing navigational measures, ship operations, infrastructure, and communications in the Arctic.
On the second item, to inform our position on a proposed ban, Transport Canada is working with partners to conduct an assessment of economic and social impacts of a proposed ban of heavy fuel oil as fuel for ships in the Arctic and moving to alternate fuels.
Share your ideas!
Click on “Register” at the top of the page or sign in
Respond to the questions below in the forum via the “Have Your Say” tab
Send a written submission via the “Submissions” tab
Requests for information and questions can also be directed to IMO-Canada-OMI@tc.gc.ca after June 28, 2019.
Canada
played a key role in developing the Polar Code (officially known as the International
Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters), which was put place on January
1, 2017.
The
Polar Code deals with the risks faced by vessels that travel in the Arctic and
Antarctic, through safety and pollution prevention measures.
These
include design changes and construction standards, new operations and manning
requirements for ships operating in ice, and stricter bans on discharging vessel
wastes.
Canada’s Regulations
To maintain high standards for marine shipping in the Arctic, in 2017 we
introduced new Arctic Shipping Safety and Pollution Prevention Regulationswhich blends parts of the Polar Code
into Canada’s marine shipping laws.
We’re
taking action to protect Arctic waters. In 2016, the Prime Minister launched the Oceans Protection Plan. This plan includes funding that helps make the Arctic’s environmental
protections stronger.
These
changes protect the environment and lower the risk of spills from ships -
helping to make our oceans cleaner, healthier and safer for years to come.
