Dear Members,
Per NAVWARN NW-C-3753-25 issued today, Transport Canada Marine Safety and the Canadian Coast Guard remind mariners that Canadian regulations require all ships operating in ice-covered waters to be designed to maintain seawater cooling supply in slush and frazil ice conditions.
This requirement is in effect as of December 9, 2025, at 12:00 EST for ships transiting west of Les Escoumins pilot station. No exemption is permitted unless the vessel is found already west of Les Escoumins at the time of the notification. Vessels at Les Rasades anchorage are to meet this requirement once the notification is in place.
Special attention must be given to the following:
- Recirculation system must be provided and used to prevent choking of sea water cooling system suction strainers;
- Seawater strainers must be verified and cleaned prior entering Gulf of St. Lawrence;
- All seawater valves must operate freely;
- Tools and lifting gear must be readily available for rapid cleaning of strainers;
- Close monitoring of cooling systems must be kept at all times.
This requirement will remain in effect until March/April of 2026. The determining factor is not a date, but rather the temperature of the water at the Port of Quebec, which must rise and continue to rise steadily above +0.5C.
For further details, please see the attached communication from Transport Canada Marine Safety.
Best regards,
Nathan Phillips
Operations Analyst