Port of Vancouver to install new navigation aids to enhance safety

Furthermore, the navigation aids will support more than 500 cargo ships calls a year to seven marine terminals located in eastern Burrard Inlet and enable large ships to move through the Second Narrows in an eastbound direction at night, increasing transit capacity and fluidity in this key trade area at the Port of Vancouver.  

Baxter continued by commenting that they will also boost efficiency and fluidity by allowing nighttime eastbound transits for larger ships—increasing the transit windows available for cargo vessels to move through the Second Narrows traffic control zone by up to 38%.

Second Narrows (also called Traffic Control Zone 2) is the only area within the port where nighttime transit restrictions are in place. These restrictions—applicable to vessels above a certain size—are part of a suite of standards and procedures to facilitate safe transit through a narrow and constrained shipping channel and support other safety measures such as tug assist and pilot requirements.