The Canadian based Chamber of Shipping and the United States based Pacific Merchant Shipping Association will cooperate to ensure safe and sustainable shipping on the Pacific Northwest and the Salish Sea. These areas are considered key gateways for marine commerce in Canada and the US.
In order to protect the Salish Sea’s sensitive ecosystem, the marine transportation industry will support the recovery of the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale. Specifically, both the Chamber of Shipping and the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association will take part in the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s ECHO program, which aims to understand and manage the impact of shipping activities on whales in the Salish Sea.
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Commenting on the cooperation, Robert Lewis-Manning, President of the Chamber of Shipping, said that it is encouraging to see commitment from many people, organizations, and governments to protect the Salish Sea.
We encourage governments at all levels to respect the commitment made by both countries to international standards through the International Maritime Organization and to implement and enforce them federally
For his part, Captain Mike Moore, Vice President of the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association, noted that zero spills from cargo vessels in transit is an important ongoing achievement. An equally important achievement is the elimination of substandard vessels by Federal port state control inspectors. He also added that, international requirements now include locating fuel tanks away from the hull, the use of improved collision avoidance technology and the transition to cleaner non-persistent diesel fuels or LNG.
