Tanker Safety Expert Panel publishes its recommendations. Recommendation 45 sparks the idea for Clear Seas:
“The Government of Canada should collaborate with industry to establish and together fund a Canadian research and development program for oil spill preparedness and response. Research priorities should be identified through collaboration between industry, government and academia.”

Registered as the Centre of Excellence for Marine Transportation of Oil and LNG Commodities in Canada Society.

Commissioned the Council of Canadian Academies to convene expert panels to investigate Commercial Marine Shipping Accidents: Understanding the Risks in Canada and The Value of Commercial Marine Shipping to Canada.

Convened working groups to scope the Marine Transportation Corridors initiative, a multifaceted analysis to describe risks related to shipping and assist in marine spatial planning for Canada’s Pacific coast.

Published the Wheel of Maritime Law, an interactive tool to provide an overview of the national acts and international conventions, protocols and codes related to commercial shipping in Canada.

Creation of the first two microsites to provide everything you need to know on Oil Tankers in Canadian Waters and Marine Shipping & You.

Published an Emergency Towing Vessel Needs Assessment by Vard Marine Inc. to assess emergency towing vessel needs for different types of large commercial ships transiting Canada’s Pacific coast.

Bud Streeter, former President of Lloyd’s Register Canada Limited and Americas Regional Manager of Naval Business and External Affairs took the helm as board chair. He has close to 50 years of experience in the maritime industry, where he has held leadership roles in both the public and private sectors.

Created a microsite to explain Who Pays for an Oil Spill in Canadian waters.

Published a study by Nuka Research to examine the availability and capability of commercial tugs to respond to a request for an emergency tow from a disabled ship in Canada’s Pacific region.

In the fall of 2019, Clear Seas partnered with the Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction and Response Network (MEOPAR) to launch the Canadian Marine Shipping Risk Forum (CMSRF) community of practice with support from exactEarth.

Launched the Oil Spill Response microsite to illustrate what systems and processes are in place to respond to an oil spill in Canadian waters.

Third opinion poll survey in partnership with the Angus Reid Institute.

Launch of the interactive Maritime Incidents & Accidents Dashboard. incorporating the past 10 years of Canadian and US data to support transboundary incident analysis and understand areas of elevated risk in Canadian waters.

Published the first in a series of articles on Reconciliation in the Maritime Sector

Assessment of Marine Shipping Trends in the Canadian Arctic over the past 30 years, focusing on two sites in the Northwest Passage, with recommendations on risk management strategies, impact mitigation, and including Inuit knowledge and perspectives in policymaking.

Created a Story Map on Inuit Rights and Marine Use in four languages to provide a guide for communities on shipping regulations in Nunavut, drawing on research by Coastal Restoration Nunavut.

Welcomed Murray Coolican to the role of board chair. Murray brings past experience in leadership positions across a number of sectors including not for profit, government, and the private sector. He has worked on environmental and aboriginal issues, in the energy and natural resources sectors, and in financial services.

Clear Seas team embarks on a reconciliation learning journey with Takaya Tours in Tsleil-Waututh Nation territory of səl̓ilw̓ət (Indian Arm).

Published Investigating Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as a Marine Fuel for Canada’s Arctic to understand the feasibility, risks, and benefits of LNG use in the Arctic.

Fourth opinion poll survey in partnership with the Angus Reid Institute.

Published an overview of Marine Shipping in the Great Lakes: What you need to know

Provided reflections on Indigenous Employment in the Ocean Sector and how Indigenous people are providing a much-needed injection of dynamic leadership and strong environmental stewardship to the marine industry.

Welcomed Serge Le Guellec to the role of board chair. Serge is the former President and General Manager of Desgagnés, where he led the operations of a fleet of 15+ merchant vessels including bulk carriers, tankers, and general cargo vessels.

Clear Seas’ Board, Research Advisory Committee, Staff and Interns gather on Tsleil-Waututh Nation territory.

Published Mapping Canadian Maritime Industry Initiatives to UN Sustainable Development Goals to demonstrate potential of SDGs as a sustainability reporting tool and maritime contributions to SDG achievement.

Revised purpose to:

Lead and facilitate research that generates independent fact-based information on marine shipping issues;

Share clear and accessible knowledge that enables governments, industry and the public to make informed decisions on marine shipping issues;

Convene all voices in open and respectful dialogue on marine shipping issues; and

Create capacity sharing opportunities and work experiences for a more inclusive marine industry.

Celebrating the launch of the Indigenous Marine Career Advancement Program, with training in shipbuilding and repair and small vessel operation.

Quiet Vessel Initiative results are compiled into a series of themed articles to bring the latest research into underwater noise reduction technology to a broad audience.

Published Vessel Traffic Forecast to 2040 for Canada’s Pacific Region to provide an updated traffic baseline and projections of expected future traffic.

Celebrating 10 years of commitment to independent, fact-based information on marine shipping issues accessible to all people in Canada.