# Unpowered Drift Analysis

Clear Seas is undertaking a study to evaluate unpowered vessel drift, time to grounding, and emergency towing vessel placement in Canadian waters. 

Clear Seas has commissioned OCIANA to develop modelling tools that evaluate unpowered vessel drift, time to grounding, and emergency towing vessel (ETV) placement in Canadian waters, starting with Canada's Pacific Region. 

When a vessel loses propulsion, environmental conditions, vessel characteristics, and the availability of emergency response resources influence whether a grounding can be prevented. This study will model drift behaviour and grounding timelines for representative vessel types operating in Pacific waters and assess the effectiveness of alternative ETV locations. 

Building on previous work related to emergency towing and vessel drift, the project will produce an interactive decision-support tool that allows users to examine vessel drift scenarios, estimate time to grounding, and evaluate emergency towing vessel coverage under a range of conditions.  

The results will support discussions about maritime safety planning and emergency response capability in Canada's Pacific Region and beyond.  

Photo credit: Canadian Coast Guard