Americas News
West Coast Port Gains New $4.5 Million Oil Spill Vessel
The Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC) says their Vancouver, Canada fleet has received a new $4.5 million oil response vessel, G.M. Penman, local media reports.
The 20 metre-long vessel, is said to have a top speed of 26 knots, can deploy booms within minutes, and has a skimming capacity of nearly 33 tonnes per hour.
"This particular vessel is designed for open water response," said Michael Lowry, spokesperson for the WCRMC.
"It can handle those unsheltered water conditions, which is a big plus for us."
The vessel is said to accommodate five crew members for overnight stays, enabling continuous operations, along with its forward-looking infrared camera.
"It'll be the most high-tech vessel on Canada's West Coast, that's for sure," added Lowry
The latest addition to the Vancouver fleet bring the total number of oil response vessels in the Province of British Columbia to 32, all of which are said to be distributed around the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, and Prince Rupert.
"We are constantly adding new vessels and new equipment. We already have significant assets within the Burrard Inlet to handle oil spills," added Lowry, noting the newbuild was in progress before the M.S. Marathassa oil spill occurred in English Bay in April.
The addition of the vessel comes at a time of heightened public awareness of bunker spills in the West Coast city, following significant criticism over the handling of a bunker spill at the port earlier this year.
