A Gulf Island group will be appearing in front of the Parliamentary Committee on Transport, Communities and Infrastructure Thursday to discuss growing concerns over freighter anchorage occuing in sensitive ecological areas.
Chris Straw -- President of "Gabriolans Against Freighter Anchorages -- will call on the Committee to examine deficiencies in the Port of Vancouver supply chain causing foreign ships to arrive weeks ahead of loading dates, and anchoring at sites throughout the Southern Gulf Islands.
The group's analyzed 10 years of shipping data and found time spemt at anchorage is growing at 10 times the rate of bulk commodity exports through the Port of Vancouver.
Straw says when you consider the threat trips across the Salish Sea pose to coastal communities and to marine species like the Southern Resident Killer Whales, it’s clear that something has to be done.
He will suggest options like improving railway connections and port infrastructure; adding anchorage capacity inside the port; and improved contract requirements to eliminate early arrivals.
The Islands Trust Council just passed a unanimous resolution for the reduction and eventual elimination of 33 freighter anchorage sites throughout the Southern Gulf Islands.