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Safety: Prince Rupert

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Radar Investment Reinforces Marine Safety at Port of Prince Rupert

The Canadian government has agreed to fund a shore-based radar regime designed to accommodate growth in vessel traffic at the Port of Prince Rupert. 

According to the port authority, shore-based radar will continue to build on the existing vessel traffic service that provides active vessel monitoring and navigational information to vessels. Shore-based radar will improve the capability of the organizations responsible for vessel monitoring and management to prevent vessel incidents in the harbor, expedite ship movements and increase transportation system efficiency. This important electronic navigation system is expected to be operational by fall 2016, with three tower sites on BC's north coast providing coverage ranging from the northeast of Haida Gwaii to the Alaskan border.

Western Economic Diversification Canada will invest $2 million in the project, which is estimated to carry a total capital cost of $5 million. Ongoing operation and maintenance of the radar system will be provided by the Canadian Coast Guard (Fisheries and Oceans Canada).

All commercial vessel traffic is currently required to report in to Canadian Coast Guard’s Marine Communications and Traffic Services [MCTS] at specific positions in their approach and exit, and is provided with accurate, complete and current navigational safety information. In addition, commercial watercraft in excess of 500 tons, other than fishing vessels, are required to employ the Automatic Identification System. AIS continuously transponds ship name, classification, and provides the ability to plot location, course, speed and other information.

The addition of shore-based radar to the current AIS technology creates an enhanced, real-time visual network for MCTS to monitor and manage vessel traffic movement in the Prince Rupert Harbour regardless of size, AIS capability, or whether they are required to report their location to MCTS. 

The Port of Prince Rupert stewards 35,000 acres of tidal water between its inner and outer harbor, which includes 30 commercial vessel anchorages for the roughly 500 ships calling on its terminals each year. 

"This project will result in a new and foundational piece of our marine safety and security network at the Port of Prince Rupert, providing an additional layer to the maritime picture we use to keep our harbor safe and ensure a diverse range of cargoes continue to flow securely through our trade gateway," said Port Authority CEO Don Krusel. "Our local partnerships enable improvements like this to make safe port even safer and matching investments from senior government organizations allow us to carry forward our long term development vision in a safe, responsible and sustainable manner." 

Installation of the new radar system towers and equipment will begin in the near future; the project is expected to be completed and commissioned as early as the fall of 2016.
 

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