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Global News
7 days ago
- General
- Global News
Ontario boat charters issue warning over ‘deceptive' operators
As the weather starts to heat up across the province, one Ontario boating company is urging the public to be cautious when booking charters for the summer. The Great Lakes Boaters Association (GLBA), which says it represents more than 300 boaters and 40 companies, put out a petition earlier this month asking Toronto to loosen its safety regulations and increase access to docking infrastructure across the city. However, some licensed boating companies are concerned about the safety of passengers, alleging the association supports unlicensed yacht charters that put the public at risk. Mani Saba, founder of Toronto Yachts and the Safety Awareness Boating Alliance, told Global News many members of the GLBA are operating without required certifications. Furthermore, they're crowding out fully compliant operators who follow Transport Canada's commercial safety standards, he said. Saba said his company has documented dozens of operators accused of skirting the Canada Shipping Act and Transport Canada's rules and regulations. Story continues below advertisement He alleges that some illegal charters do not have enough lifejackets or go over capacity on the number of allowed passengers on board. He says in times of crisis or emergency, these rules can be the 'silver-lining between life and death.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'These deceptive practices not only undermine the legitimate licensed businesses like Toronto Yachts, but also endanger public safety by circumventing critical regulations designed to protect passengers and crews,' Saba said. Michael Motala, a lawyer representing Toronto Yachts, said unregulated boating on Ontario waters has serious consequences. 'Every single summer, every single season, people die in the lakes or the port of Toronto. There are reports where people die from unlicensed boat operators,' Motala said. Saba also added that some charter customers may not know what kind of boat they're getting on and the risks can be severe. 'A lot of charter companies do not have proper safety training so when passengers are on board and something happens, they don't know what to do,' said Saba. Motala added: 'Imagine being the parent of someone innocently going out on the water, only to discover six to 12 hours later that because of an incident, your daughter or son is dead.' Transport Canada confirmed in a statement to Global News that it 'does not register or formally recognize marine associations such as the Great Lakes Boaters Association.' Global News contacted the GLBA for comment, but did not receive a response by deadline. Story continues below advertisement The agency also said it has taken enforcement action against non-compliant charter operations. 'During the 2024 summer period, Transport Canada undertook inspection activities on alleged passenger operations, some of which resulted in enforcement actions, including vessel detentions,' the department said. Toronto police also told Global News in a statement that they are aware of 'growing public concern regarding the safety of Toronto's waterways' and confirmed that 'there have been several marine-related deaths that have led to criminal charges, as well as charges under the Canada Shipping Act.' According to the Ontario Provincial Police, falling overboard and vessel capsizing remain the leading causes of boating deaths in Ontario. Over the last five years, 131 people have died in boating incidents on OPP-patrolled waterways, including 56 paddlers. Authorities added they are continuing to work with enforcement partners to ensure compliance and public safety as the summer approaches. 'The biggest challenge is there's no distinguishable element out there for the member of public to identify who is a licensed and safe operator and who's not,' Saba said.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Photos reveal extent of damage to Whiffen Head oil terminal, tanker following collision
Photos obtained by CBC News reveal the extent of the damage to an important oil terminal near Arnold's Cove — and the potential for life-threatening injury or environmental disaster — after a nearly 300-metre tanker laden with crude collided with the dock last month. The incident has forced oil companies to conduct ship-to-ship transfers in Placentia Bay in order to get Newfoundland and Labrador crude to the market, and it's not clear how long this contingency plan will be in place. The collision also punctured a hole in the bow section of the Altera Thule, one of a small fleet of shuttle tankers that transports crude from producing oil fields in the offshore to the transshipment terminal at Whiffen Head. The Thule was pulling alongside the jetty at mid-afternoon on Jan. 22 to offload a cargo of crude from the offshore when the collision occurred. The impact crumpled a section of the dock's concrete decking, and the mechanical loading arm that connects tankers to the cargo terminal was also knocked askew and badly damaged. It's not known if the operator's cab on the loading arm was occupied during the collision, but the company that operates the terminal, Newfoundland Transshipment Limited, said there were no injuries. The Thule is double-hulled and no pollutants were spilled into the ocean, but a photo obtained by CBC reveals a deep gash in the bow of the vessel. A spokesperson for the company that operates the ship, Altera, said an investigation is ongoing and "these investigations do take considerable time." It's compulsory that ships entering Placentia Bay have a licensed maritime pilot on board who has specific knowledge of the bay. This is an image of the damaged bow section of the oil tanker Altera Thule, which collided with the dock at the Whiffen Head transshipment terminal in Placentia Bay on Jan. 22. (Submitted) Transport Canada is investigating to determine whether the vessel meets the applicable regulations under the Canada Shipping Act, the agency wrote in a statement on Wednesday. "Should Transport Canada identify incidents of non-compliance, appropriate action will be taken," the Transport Canada statement reads. Energy Minister Andrew Parsons said in a statement that his department is monitoring the situation. "Assessments are continuing and stakeholders are collectively working various contingency options," he said. Preparing a repair plan Operations at the terminal have been suspended as engineers develop a repair plan, and Newfoundland Transshipment is not saying how long the terminal will be out of commission, the estimated cost of repairs, or how much crude is currently stranded in storage at the Whiffen Head tank farm. "We are continuing with our assessment and repair planning. This work takes time and our focus is to ensure the safety of the site and personnel, as we undertake these activities," Newfoundland Transshipment Limited's Paul Durdle wrote in a statement to CBC News on Thursday. The Altera Thule is one of a small fleet of shuttle tankers that transports oil produced in Newfoundland and Labrador's offshore. (N.L. Maritime/Facebook) The terminal is a critical asset in the province's oil industry. Ships like the Thule, known as Suezmax vessels, collect crude from the Hibernia, Hebron, Terra Nova and White Rose fields and deliver it to the transshipment terminal, where it's held in six tanks capable of holding up to three million barrels of crude. Second leg tankers known as Aframax vessels then transport the crude to customers in the United States and other international locations for refining into various fuels. The intent of the terminal, which opened in the late 1990s, is to provide oil companies with more efficient transportation to the market, and to provide greater flexibility in the marketing of that oil. With operations suspended at the terminal, and roughly 250,000 barrels being produced each day in the offshore, oil companies have been forced to use ship-to-ship transfers in order to get their valuable products to market and ensure production is not interrupted. The Hibernia platform in Newfoundland and Labrador's offshore produced first-oil on Nov. 17, 1997. It's one of four producing oil fields in the Jeanne d'Arc Basin, located roughly 340 kilometres southeast of St. John's. It can store roughly 1.3 million barrels of oil inside its concrete gravity structure. (ExxonMobil Canada) A spokesperson for the oil companies said two ship-to-ship transfers have so far taken place, and more are planned. "Safety is a primary consideration during all activities, and we are working with Teekay Marine Services to manage the ship-to-ship transfers, including any weather limits that need to be considered," said a spokesperson for Basin Wide Transportation and Transshipment System (BWTTS), which co-ordinates crude transportation on behalf of the companies with ownership stakes in the offshore. WATCH | No word on how much it will cost to repair the damage at Whiffen Head: The Altera spokesperson said ship-to-ship transfers are safe, with roughly 11,000 such transfers taking place each year around the world. As for the Altera Thule, it's scheduled to offload its crude later this month, and will then undergo repairs. Hibernia and Hebron are fixed platforms built atop massive concrete structures that sit on the ocean floor. They can each store more than one million barrels of crude store. The Terra Nova and White Rose fields use ship-like production vessels that can store less than one million barrels. Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here. Click here to visit our landing page.
CBC
07-02-2025
- General
- CBC
Photos reveal extent of damage to Whiffen Head oil terminal, tanker following collision
Photos obtained by CBC News reveal the extent of the damage to an important oil terminal near Arnold's Cove — and the potential for life-threatening injury or environmental disaster — after a nearly 300-metre tanker laden with crude collided with the dock last month. The incident has forced oil companies to conduct ship-to-ship transfers in Placentia Bay in order to get Newfoundland and Labrador crude to the market, and it's not clear how long this contingency plan will be in place. The collision also punctured a hole in the bow section of the Altera Thule, one of a small fleet of shuttle tankers that transports crude from producing oil fields in the offshore to the transshipment terminal at Whiffen Head. The Thule was pulling alongside the jetty at mid-afternoon on Jan. 22 to offload a cargo of crude from the offshore when the collision occurred. The impact crumpled a section of the dock's concrete decking, and the mechanical loading arm that connects tankers to the cargo terminal was also knocked askew and badly damaged. It's not known if the operator's cab on the loading arm was occupied during the collision, but the company that operates the terminal, Newfoundland Transshipment Limited, said there were no injuries. The Thule is double-hulled and no pollutants were spilled into the ocean, but a photo obtained by CBC reveals a deep gash in the bow of the vessel. A spokesperson for the company that operates the ship, Altera, said an investigation is ongoing and "these investigations do take considerable time." It's compulsory that ships entering Placentia Bay have a licensed maritime pilot on board who has specific knowledge of the bay. Transport Canada is investigating to determine whether the vessel meets the applicable regulations under the Canada Shipping Act, the agency wrote in a statement on Wednesday. "Should Transport Canada identify incidents of non-compliance, appropriate action will be taken," the Transport Canada statement reads. Energy Minister Andrew Parsons said in a statement that his department is monitoring the situation. "Assessments are continuing and stakeholders are collectively working various contingency options," he said. Preparing a repair plan Operations at the terminal have been suspended as engineers develop a repair plan, and Newfoundland Transshipment is not saying how long the terminal will be out of commission, the estimated cost of repairs, or how much crude is currently stranded in storage at the Whiffen Head tank farm. "We are continuing with our assessment and repair planning. This work takes time and our focus is to ensure the safety of the site and personnel, as we undertake these activities," Newfoundland Transshipment Limited's Paul Durdle wrote in a statement to CBC News on Thursday. The terminal is a critical asset in the province's oil industry. Ships like the Thule, known as Suezmax vessels, collect crude from the Hibernia, Hebron, Terra Nova and White Rose fields and deliver it to the transshipment terminal, where it's held in six tanks capable of holding up to three million barrels of crude. Second leg tankers known as Aframax vessels then transport the crude to customers in the United States and other international locations for refining into various fuels. The intent of the terminal, which opened in the late 1990s, is to provide oil companies with more efficient transportation to the market, and to provide greater flexibility in the marketing of that oil. With operations suspended at the terminal, and roughly 250,000 barrels being produced each day in the offshore, oil companies have been forced to use ship-to-ship transfers in order to get their valuable products to market and ensure production is not interrupted. A spokesperson for the oil companies said two ship-to-ship transfers have so far taken place, and more are planned. "Safety is a primary consideration during all activities, and we are working with Teekay Marine Services to manage the ship-to-ship transfers, including any weather limits that need to be considered," said a spokesperson for Basin Wide Transportation and Transshipment System (BWTTS), which co-ordinates crude transportation on behalf of the companies with ownership stakes in the offshore. The Altera spokesperson said ship-to-ship transfers are safe, with roughly 11,000 such transfers taking place each year around the world. As for the Altera Thule, it's scheduled to offload its crude later this month, and will then undergo repairs. Hibernia and Hebron are fixed platforms built atop massive concrete structures that sit on the ocean floor. They can each store more than one million barrels of crude store. The Terra Nova and White Rose fields use ship-like production vessels that can store less than one million barrels.
CBC
30-01-2025
- Business
- CBC
Oil companies preparing contingency plan as Whiffen Head terminal remains offline
Contingency plans for the transportation of crude oil from Newfoundland's offshore are being put in place as operations at a transshipment terminal in Placentia Bay remain offline following a tanker collision with a jetty. One option includes ship-to-ship transfers in Placentia Bay, said a spokesperson for Basin Wide Transportation and Transshipment System (BWTTS), which co-ordinates crude transportation on behalf of the companies with ownership stakes in the offshore. "BWTTS participants are continuing to monitor the incident investigation … to understand any implications for their operations, and put contingency plans in place to support offshore production," the spokesperson wrote in a statement to CBC News. On Jan. 22, the Bahamas-flagged shuttle tanker Altera Thule struck the jetty at the Newfoundland Transshipment Limited terminal in Whiffen Head, near Arnold's Cove. The jetty was damaged, but there were no injuries, and no pollutants were spilled into the ocean. It's not clear whether the vessel sustained any damage, but Transport Canada confirmed to CBC News on Thursday that a inspection of the vessel is underway to ensure its compliance with regulations under the Canada Shipping Act. The Whiffen Head terminal has been in operation since 1998, and is the transshipment point for crude from the Hibernia, Hebron, Terra Nova and White Rose oil fields. There are two jetties at the terminal, and six tanks capable of storing up to three million barrels of crude. Newfoundland Transshipment president Paul Durdle confirmed Thursday that operations at the terminal remain suspended as inspections continue, and a plan for repairing the damage is formalized. Durdle said the company is using drones and remotely operated vehicles to carry out inspections, and an engineering company has also been hired to develop a repair plan. Durdle did not respond to questions about the amount of time it might take to get the terminal back into operation. A company called Teekay Marine Solutions operates a fleet of tankers, including the Thule, that shuttles crude from the offshore to the transshipment terminal. Other tankers arrive at Whiffen Head to collect the crude and transport it elsewhere for refining, making Whiffen Head a critical asset for delivering Newfoundland crude to international markets. So in order to avoid any bottlenecks, the BWTTS spokesperson said ship-to-ship transfers, which must receive Transport Canada approval, is an option. "Ship-to-ship transfers involve the transfer of fluids from one vessel to another while at sea. It is a proven method of transfer, which has been used safely here and around the world," the BWTTS spokesperson said.
