Tug-and-barge fuel shipments through B.C.'s Inside Passage 'a disaster waiting to hap

http://www.langleytimes.com/news/399166651.html

As of Friday, over 1280 people have signed an online petition calling for the Environment Minister's resignation, Weaver said.

In response, the environment ministry has issued a written statement that said the provincial government's work to protect the environment has been "extensive" and marine spill response is a federal responsibility.

"Whether overhauling the century-old water act, launching a first-ever provincial spill response plan, legislating emissions limits on LNG facilities or maintaining the highest and broadest carbon price in North America, British Columbia is far ahead of the rest of Canada" the statement said.

It went on to say the province is pushing the federal government to add more resources to handle marine spills.
 
Just remember that line from Polak above its federal responsibility not our province. So the province will politically use Bella Bella to prove a point and wait for feds to do something. The province isn't pushing federal government on spill response they just want you to think they are.

Industry first environment last. Increase public perception that there is a plan = more industry opportunities.
 
We have the technology, in the automotive industry, to self drive across the country, so why can't there be lane departure warnings in the tug industry? Seems to me that the route of this tug is the same over and over and would not be difficult to know that it missed the turn. Alarm bells could have been ringing to alert the whole crew that something was wrong.

 
GLG said:
We have the technology, in the automotive industry, to self drive across the country, so why can't there be lane departure warnings in the tug industry? Seems to me that the route of this tug is the same over and over and would not be difficult to know that it missed the turn. Alarm bells could have been ringing to alert the whole crew that something was wrong.
Click to expand...
They have had that technology for years now, GLG: NavTrek, Nobeltek, MaxSea, etc software (http://cms.nobeltec.com/CMS/Products/NavigationSoftware/ProductsSoftware.aspx) on your computer - tied to a GPS and an automatic helmsman (autopilot). You have to be in the wheelhouse - and awake, though - to ensure it all works as predicted wrt tracks and steering. Maybe even turn it on and set it up.

No real excuse - except for saving money by having too few crew - and having overworked crew sleep-deprived (and/or drugs/alcohol...).

The certificate of competency clearly states: "Watchkeeping" - or keeping a watch. Everything else is an "aide" to navigation.

"Queen of the North II"... now playing on a coast near you... (The Enbridge movie: Nothing Can Go Wrong...Go Wrong...Go Wrong" flopped at the box office)
 
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Thanks AA .. maybe it's time to embed some tech in the control systems. Not sure if tugs are "fly by wire" but if we were to take the tech from the automotive industry that does auto braking that could stop a tug from grounding itself in shallow water. The control system would see that it was about to hit bottom and take a corrective action such as reverse course (stop) and sound and alarm.
 
GLG said:
Thanks AA .. maybe it's time to embed some tech in the control systems. Not sure if tugs are "fly by wire" but if we were to take the tech from the automotive industry that does auto braking that could stop a tug from grounding itself in shallow water. The control system would see that it was about to hit bottom and take a corrective action such as reverse course (stop) and sound and alarm.
Click to expand...
Had something similar for years, too: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_radar_plotting_aid above the water. Underneath - yep - depth alarms, too. It's the stopping distance (and sometimes the radius of turn for supertankers) that is the issue. Or, more precisely - momentum (mass x velocity) is the real difference.
 
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