Month: April 2014

The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation marked the opening of the Seaway’s 56th navigation season March 28, with the transit of Algoma Central Corporation’s newly built ship, the Algoma Equinox, through Lock 3 of the Welland Canal. 

The vessel is the first of eight Equinox-class ships that are being purpose-built for trade in the St. Lawrence Seaway.

 “Algoma Central Corporation’s fleet renewal is a leading example of the unprecedented level of investment that is happening throughout our navigation system,” said Terence Bowles, President and CEO of the SLSMC. 

“The Seaway alone is spending almost $500 million on modernizing its infrastructure – the biggest transformation in five decades.”

“The Algoma Equinox carries more cargo, sails faster, consumes significantly less fuel and is the first Great Lakes vessel to be equipped with a scrubbing system that virtually eliminates sulphur oxide from its emissions.  

These advancements will benefit communities throughout the region and also ensure that our customers – North American industries and farmers – remain competitive on the global stage,” said Algoma Central Corporation’s President and CEO Greg Wight.

In concert with various domestic and ocean carriers investing $1 billion in new vessels, the SLSMC is investing $395 million between 2014 and 2018 to revitalize its locks and structures.  

Likewise, the U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation is mounting a $92 million effort over a comparable timeframe.

Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation Administrator Betty Sutton said, “The significant investments in Seaway infrastructure are positioning the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System for future growth.  Our asset renewal program will do more than just rebuild the lock infrastructure; the introduction of new technologies will make the waterway even safer, more efficient, and more reliable.  These investments signal a long term public commitment to shipping on the Great Lakes / Seaway System.”

In addition to its asset renewal program, the SLSMC is also moving ahead with the installation of Hands Free Mooring at all of its high lift locks.  

This investment over the next five years will enable vessels to be secured in a lock by means of vacuum pads, instead of by the traditional wire or rope mooring lines. 

Hands Free Mooring is a core element of the SLSMC’s modernization program, which promises to lower operating costs, increase safety, and provide greater ease of access into the Seaway for Seaway-sized vessels within the world’s merchant fleet.

In terms of the outlook for cargo volume on the St. Lawrence Seaway in 2014, the SLSMC’s Bowles noted that he continues to be upbeat.  

“Tonnage within the St. Lawrence Seaway is forecast to exceed a total of 38 million tonnes this year. 

The U.S. and European economies are improving, and this trend gives us reason to be optimistic,” said Bowles. 

“We also expect to play a significant role in exporting Canada’s bumper grain crop to overseas markets.”

Over 227,000 jobs and $35 billion in economic activity are supported by the movement of goods within the Great Lakes-Seaway System. 

[…]

Thirty community members showed up to watch the proceedings of a committee of three, March 24, at the Dixon’s Corners Community Centre.

The meeting was the first meeting of the South Branch Wind Project’s Community Liaison Committee, which has the objective of helping EDP Renewables better understand the concerns and comments of South Dundas residents regarding the South Branch Wind Facility.

So far, the South Branch CLC consists of three volunteers, Bill Byker, a Glen Stewart area farmer, Pieter Biemond, a local retired dairy farmer, and Chris Bazinet, who works for the Municipality of South Dundas as manager of public works. The committee meeting coordinator and facilitator is Francois Lauzon of Stantec Consulting’s Ottawa office.

Biemond, hopes that this committee will have a role that will help to heal the community, that has experienced much division over this project. “That is my biggest concern,” he said.

The committee meetings are not an open forum to re-visit old concerns about the project, but instead a platform to facilitate two-way communication between EDP and members of the public.

With this open form of communication, EDP will be better able to identify areas for improvement, as we strive to gain local acceptance of this facility, explained Ken Little, project manager. 

“We want the dialogue from these meetings to be meaningful and useful,” said Little. “The aim is a productive two-way conversation.”

At the meeting, Little said that since the start up of the project, so far, one formal noise complaint has been logged with the Ministry of the Environment. 

A local resident, who lives less than one km from a turbine, did report that the noise from the turning blades is similar to that of an airplane, and that since the project has been producing power, he is frequently awakened overnight. 

According to Little, later this month, the facility will undergo a noise audit to check whether or not the noise is within the allowable thresholds for the project.

The CLC is hoping that more volunteers will come forward to join the committee.

Ideally, those who volunteer would be residents or landowners from within a kilometre of the facility, or at least residents of South Dundas. 

Members of the business community or those affiliated with local government or local government agencies, interest groups, conservation authorities or community groups, would also be welcomed to the committee.

The CLC meetings are open to the public for observation, with the possibility of hearing brief depositions from members of the public who have arranged to make presentations.

The committee will meet about four times over the next two years. 

The CLC will next meet in June or July. Once a meeting is scheduled, the details will be advertised. 

In the meantime, anyone interested in joining the committee, or learning more about it, can contact southbranchwindfarmcomments@edpr.com

[…]