Effective February 18, 2025
Purpose
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is introducing a new requirement to proactively manage the risk of vessel strike to the Lions Gate Bridge. This new requirement enhances the robust safety management framework in place at the Port of Vancouver to prevent marine accidents and protect infrastructure.
The requirement applies to Tier 1 vessels with specific forward draft and tidal height combinations when transiting the First Narrows Traffic Control Zone (TCZ-1) outbound, in addition to existing practices and procedures promoting safe and efficient navigation.
Considerations
The port authority manages the safety and efficiency of vessel traffic in areas where Tier 1 vessels transit narrow channels and bridge crossings by designating such areas as Traffic Control Zones and establishing associated transit procedures. The port authority develops practices and procedures that account for the dynamic nature of vessels and the areas in which they operate, ensuring mitigations are tailored to specific circumstances that introduce risk, instead of broadly applied. The port authority has considered the associated risk, the availability, and cost of marine services in developing this new requirement, including but not limited to:
- Risk – the port authority worked with internationally recognized expert Garland Hardy, NAVTEC/LANTEC Marine Inc. to conduct desktop simulation analysis to examine the possibility of a vessel strike with the south tower of the Lions Gate Bridge which spans the TCZ-1. This analysis identified the higher probability of an incident when vessels navigate the area in a westbound direction at higher stages of the tide in combination with shallow drafts.
- Cost to industry – the proposed requirement introduces incremental cost to a limited number of vessel operators and provides effective risk mitigation without any required capital investment. Vessel operators are encouraged to collaborate with service providers to identify solutions that minimize cost and operational impacts. Furthermore, vessel operators can make use of the active vessel traffic management centralized scheduling system to adjust transit time to avoid certain stages of tide that would otherwise require the use of a tethered tug escort.
This Notice to Industry is subject to review in the event any future measures that may further mitigate the risk of a vessel strike with the south tower of the Lions Gate Bridge are introduced.
Application
Tier 1 vessels greater than 120 metres LOA with a single propeller/propulsor and no alternate propulsion system, unless otherwise required by the applicable TCZ-1 tug requirements stipulated in the practices and procedures, shall require a mandatory tethered tug escort, or an adequate tractor/ASD tug at the Master or the pilot’s discretion, in compliance with the following table.
Any Tier 1 vessel with redundant propulsion systems such as twin propellers, for example cruise ships, are exempt from this tug assist requirement.
All vessels requiring tethered tug escorts per this notice must be tethered prior to entering TCZ-1 and must remain tethered until they are clear of TCZ-1, unless they are required to remain tethered beyond TCZ-1, for operational reasons.
If you have any questions on the content of this notice or require clarifications, please contact our 24/7 Operations Centre at 604-665-9086 or [email protected].