Maritime and Port Security Demonstration Project Workshop

The governments of Canada and British Columbia have been engaged in studies and initiatives related to west coast port security since 2004. The collaboration has involved Industry Canada (IC), Western Economic Diversification (WD), the BC Innovation Council BCIC), the University of Victoria (UVic) and the Maritime Awards Society of Canada (MASC). The primary consultant firm in this work has been CFN Consultants of Ottawa and Victoria. The motivation for the work was driven by both an interest in the security of west coast ports and a desire to showcase BC industrial capacity that is relevant to the port security question. The economy and prosperity of Canada´s west coast is highly dependent on the efficient operation of its ports. Goods shipped through the several ports in BC come from or go to all parts of North America. The ports represent important links for trade and tourism and are vital to the Canadian transportation infrastructure thus their operations must be both efficient and secure. On the west coast the competition is intense and the stakes are high given the rapid growth of North American trade with Asia, especially China. Security could be seen as a hindrance; however as in the airline industry, security is a necessity. Process improvements that enhance both the security and the efficiency of port operations are therefore highly desirable.