Backgrounder

Pacific Pilotage Authority oversight of pilotage waivers

The Pacific Pilotage Authority (PPA) is a Crown corporation that was created in 1972 under the Pilotage Act. The PPA has a mandate to establish, operate, maintain, and administer safe and efficient pilotage services in the coastal waters of British Columbia, including the Fraser River. Pilotage services are provided by licensed marine pilots, who are highly trained navigators that use their knowledge of local waters to direct a vessel and navigate it using the safest route. These routes can change daily depending on factors like other marine traffic, wind, and tides.

The PPA has the authority to, among other things:

1. establish compulsory pilotage areas;
2. determine which vessels are subject to compulsory pilotage; and
3. prescribe the circumstances under which compulsory pilotage may be waived.

The PPA has a process through which some vessels, mainly tugs and barges, could obtain pilotage waivers that exempt them from compulsory pilotage in designated pilotage areas, if the operators meet certain requirements.

Under these requirements, anyone in charge of deck watch must:

(a) hold the certificates that are required in Part 2 of the Marine Personnel Regulations or, if the ship is not Canadian, equivalent certificates;

(b) have completed, as a person in charge of the deck watch on voyages in the region, at least:

(i) 150 days of service in the preceding 18 months, or

(ii) 365 days of service in the preceding 60 months, including at least 60 days in the preceding 24 months.

(c) have served as a person in charge of the deck watch in the compulsory pilotage area for which the waiver is sought on at least one occasion within the preceding 24 months.

In addition, vessels are required to:

1. be operating with a bridge navigational watch alarm system;
2. be fitted with, and transmitting on, a Class A automatic identification system; and
3. have two people on the bridge when operating in confined waters or in conditions of restricted visibility or in hours of darkness.

Under the PPA’s waiver system, an acceptable standard of care has to be maintained by the waivered company, vessel, and crew, such that the risk to life, property, and the environment is not substantially greater than would be anticipated if the vessel was under a pilot’s direction.

Before issuing a waiver, the PPA requests that the authorized representative (AR) provide a signed statement of compliance for each watchkeeper’s sea time. The PPA records the information supplied by ARs but does not verify its accuracy.

Currently, there is no effective process to verify that crew members and vessels meet PPA waiver requirements, which poses a risk that non-compliance with waiver requirements will go undetected and compromise safety in compulsory pilotage waters.