Occasional-use marine facilities

From: Transport Canada

An occasional-use marine facility interfaces (physically interacts with a vessel for the transfer of people, goods, or services) 10 times or less per calendar year with certain vessels (as identified below) in Canada. To comply with Canadian regulations (rules), an occasional-use marine facility must be certified by Transport Canada.

This webpage explains more about these facilities and how you can apply to become one.

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About occasional-use marine facilities

The Marine Transportation Security Regulations provide the rules of conduct for different types of marine facilities in Canada. An occasional-use marine facility is controlled by an operator who works for themself or someone else.  These facilities can interface with vessels up to 10 times per calendar year. The vessels that count towards this limit are:

Canadian vessels on international voyages and foreign registered vessels that meet the following:

  • vessels that carry more than 12 passengers (like cruise ships)
  • vessels that are more than 100 gross tonnage, or
  • tugs with barges that carry certain dangerous cargo

Vessels that do not count towards this limit are:

  • pleasure craft
  • fishing vessels
  • vessels that are owned or operated by a government and only used only for non-commercial services
  • vessels without a crew that are in dry dock, dismantled or laid-up. “Laid-up” means that the vessel has:
    1. been taken out of operation
    2. properly secured
    3. has no cargo on-board destined for another facility, other than cargo being stored during seasonal shut-down
    4. no passengers on-board
    5. no crew on-board, other than maintenance, safety or security crew
    6. no operational equipment or machinery on-board, other than emergency systems, temporary generators or shore power
  • Vessels that are subject to an alternative security agreement between the Government of Canada and a contracting government, for brief international voyages following fixed routes between ports within their respective territories (such as short run ferries between Canada and the US), or
  • Canadian vessels operating between Canadian marine facilities

If your facility receives or expects to receive more than 10 interfaces in a calendar year, as the operator of the marine facility there are more Marine Transportation Security Regulations requirements you must meet, before your 11th interface. To make sure you have enough time to meet these additional requirements, contact your nearest regional Marine Security Office as soon as you believe you will receive more than 10 vessels in a calendar year: For contact information click: Need help?

Apply to become an occasional-use marine facility

To become a certified occasional-use marine facility:

  1. Contact Transport Canada by emailing your nearest regional Marine Security Office: For contact information click: Need help?
  2. Transport Canada will send you advice and a questionnaire via mail or email
  3. Complete the questionnaire and return it to Transport Canada
  4. Transport Canada may need to complete a security assessment of your facility
  5. Begin looking for an Occasional-Use Marine Facility Security Officer for your facility. Canadian regulations require that this person must know and understand:
    1. the facility’s administrative and organizational structure for security
    2. the operations and operating conditions of the facility and vessels
    3. security procedures for the facility, vessels and port, including the meaning and requirements of different Marine Security (MARSEC) levels
    4. emergency preparedness, response and contingency planning
    5. security equipment, systems and their operational limits
    6. relevant international conventions, codes, standards and recommendations
    7. relevant legislation, regulations and security measures, rules and procedures
    8. the responsibilities and functions of municipal, provincial and federal law enforcement agencies
  6. Assign an Occasional-Use Marine Facility Security Officer
  7. Create your security procedures and make sure to include information on your Occasional-Use Marine Facility Security Officer’s qualifications
  8. Submit your facility’s security procedures to Transport Canada for approval via encrypted email
  9. Transport Canada will review the procedures
    1. If they meet all requirements, Transport Canada will issue the facility a Letter of Compliance
    2. If they don’t meet all requirements, Transport Canada will contact you and suggest changes

Transport Canada may inspect certified facilities to make sure security procedures are being followed.

Guidance for occasional-use marine facilities

Before interfacing with a vessel, Canadian regulations (rules) state that you must:

  • set the structure for how your facility is operated and secured
  • assign security responsibilities and support staff in their security work
  • work with the vessel’s Master to coordinate shore leave for crew or personnel
  • provide information on the facility’s security to anyone who needs it to comply with Canadian regulations
  • assign an Occasional-Use Marine Facility Security Officer in writing, by name or by position
  • share security procedures relevant to the interface with vessels that want to interface with the facility
  • complete a Declaration of Security, which is required by law

About Declarations of Security

A Declaration of Security is an agreement between your facility and a vessel. Canadian regulations (rules) require this declaration, and it must be signed before you interface with a vessel.

Declaration of Security Template
(PDF, 737 KB)

 

If your facility is at MARSEC level 1 or 2, you can use a continuing Declaration of Security for multiple interfaces between a vessel your facility if the declaration is valid for:

  • 90 days (or less) for MARSEC level 1, or
  • 30 days (or less) for MARSEC level 2

You must send a copy of each Declaration of Security to your nearest regional Marine Security Office: For contact information click: Need help?

Make a service request

As an occasional-use marine facility operator, you’re responsible for asking Transport Canada to:

  • assess or review the facility’s security
  • review, approve and/or inspect the facilty’s security procedures in order to issue or renew security documents, including your Letter of Compliance

Please send service requests in writing to the Regional Manager, or the Inspector who handles Transport Canada’s Marine Security Program at your nearest regional Marine Security Office. For contact information click: Need help?

More information on making a service request

Need help?

Contact your nearest regional Marine Security Office:

Any comments, suggestions or concerns can be sent to Transport Canada’s Director of Marine Security Operations: dirops.marsec-sumar@tc.gc.ca.

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