Sean Griffiths is firing back at the Port of Stephenville saying the Atlantic Pilotage Authority, for which he is chief executive officer, has never stated Stephenville is a two-tug port.
Theresa Keeping of the Port of Stephenville had said port operators were told that there were two tugs required for piloting by the Atlantic Pilotage Authority when identical sized ships have only required one in the past.
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Griffiths said in a letter to Keeping it is the authority’s position that at least one suitable tug is required for larger ships with reduced maneuverability. He said comparing one ship to another based solely on its size is not a valid base for assessment.
“Not all classes of ships are created equal. The propulsion and handling characteristics of a ship must be considered in determining if the proposed maneuver is safe and the supporting tug resources in the port are adequate,” he said.
Griffiths said the mission of the Atlantic Pilotage Authority is to provide safe, effective and self-sustaining marine pilotage services in Atlantic Canada.
He said safety is of primary importance and it will be emphasized over any competing goals or pressures to ensure the protection of people, the environment and the safeguarding of property.
“We do not favour one port over another and encourage and support the growth of business in all areas in which we operate,” Griffiths said.
Keeping said businesses in Stephenville will be affected by the authority’s decision.
He said with a focus on safety and risk mitigation, a tug with sufficient power is required to safely assist a vessel in the transit and docking maneuvers. He said the Omni St. Laurent is a 61-year-old tug and is not suitable for vessels of this size and limited maneuvering ability.
However, Ed Strickland of Montship Inc., which operates the Omni St. Laurent, is defending his vessel and said despite its age operates successfully.
He said this tug is certified by Transport Canada and being twin screw 1,300 horse power, is more maneuverable and 30 per cent more powerful than the Point Viking, which it replaced in 2010 and operates in a number of ports in Western Newfoundland.
Strickland said after The Jay suffered damage in February and was not permitted to be brought into an ice-free Port of Stephenville without two tugs, the Omni St. Laurent was used to guide that ship into the Port of Corner Brook (packed with ice at the time) with the same pilots for the same vessel.
He said the logic was that the turning basin was too small in Stephenville but up to 2005 before the mill closed in Stephenville the port was booming with 80 plus vessels annually.
With the closure of the mill, it dropped to six vessels per year at no fault of the port.
Strickland said the Atlantic Pilotage Authority requires revenue to survive and the problem is Stephenville is not generating enough revenue to pay wages for one pilot, let alone several for the district.
He said requiring tugs from outside the province to guide certain vessels into the Port of Stephenville is cost prohibitive when the bill will be about $150,000 for each one.
“Given the Auditor General came down hard on the Atlantic Pilotage Authority in 2017, I thank local politicians for their involvement in this issue,” Strickland said.
