Marine Transportation Project Archive
Oil Barge Safety
for Tidewater Barge Lines, Portland, 1997-99
Dickins Associates acted as an expert advisor to the existing transportation provider in filing objections to a proposed new overland pipeline. The technical work involved comparing the relative environmental safety of pipelines and vessels for the carriage of refined products, and submitting testimony to the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council in Olympia, Washington.
Worst Case Ice Conditions at the Red Dog Port Site
for Westmar Consultants and Simons Vancouver, 1998 and 2000
Dickins worked with structural engineering consultants engaged by Cominco to design a proposed new dock facility to handle expanded production being planned for the Red Dog mine in Alaska.
Double Hull Tankers
for BC Environment Lands and Parks, 1995; Ernst & Young, 1995 and; RCG/Haglar Bailly
Dickins Associates was contracted to prepare a concise position paper for the BC Minister of Environment, summarizing the engineering, economics and regulatory issues affecting the timely introduction of double-hulled tankers on the West Coast. A particular emphasis was placed on the differences between the Canadian and American regulations governing vessel operations and design, and the expected benefits of double-hulls in reducing spill frequency and consequences.
Icebreaking LNG Tanker Route Evaluation
for ARCO, Exxon, BP, 1993-1994
This two-phase project involved a detailed evaluation of ice conditions along proposed shipping routes to service several LNG port options in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. Analytical work included extensive use of ERS-1, Landsat and NOAA imagery.
Arctic Marine Spill Risk Analysis with Atomic Energy of Canada
for the Canadian Coast Guard, 1994
Dickins was responsible for developing a statistical profile of arctic vessel traffic including identification of routes, ship characteristics, and frequency of transits. Subsequent work involved a ranking of each NWT community/port in terms of spill risk.
Evaluation of Escort Tug Benefits
for Canadian Coast Guard (subcontract to Robert Allan Limited), 1993
This project evaluated experiences with tugs escorting tankers, and an interpreted historical accidents in three Canadian marine areas having high levels of tanker traffic: Strait of Juan de Fuca, St. Lawrence River, and the Bay of Fundy.
User Survey: Sea Ice Information Products
for Ice Services, Environment Canada, 1993
Thirty personal interviews were conducted with shipping companies and the Coast Guard to determine the value of sea ice products in marine operations in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Arctic.
Ice Conditions on the Western Access Route to Coronation Gulf
for Canarctic Shipping Company Limited (subcontract to CANATEC Consultants), 1992
Polynyas and lead systems were mapped from 20 years of satellite imagery, with emphasis placed on the western approach route to the Coronation Gulf, N.W.T., an area of active mining development. Overall, more than 200 maps of late winter and early spring conditions were produced to represent conditions along proposed shipping routes.
The Effects of Proposed New Arctic Shipping Regulations on Commercial Operations
for Coast Guard Northern, March 1991
This study called for a statistical comparison of vessel access into different Arctic areas using the existing the system of zones and dates and using the new system of ice regimes based on real-time conditions. The analysis also looked at the potential for steel embrittlement to further limit the access of commercial ships in certain areas.
Ice Regime Shipping Control System: Workshop
for the Canadian Coast Guard, 1990
Dickins was contracted to organize and report on the results of a workshop designed to evaluate recent experiences from voyages to validate the new ice regime system, an integral part of the proposed revisions to the CASPPR regulations governing arctic vessel design and operation in Canadian waters.
Arctic Computer Database for Assessing Vessel Risk
for Coast Guard Northern, 1988-1989
Dickins revised over 1/2 million cell values describing year-round environmental conditions throughout the navigable areas of the Canadian Arctic. This information was used in an existing Coast Guard program to assess the frequency of vessel damage in any region of the Arctic.
Chukchi Sea Transportation Study
for SOHIO Petroleum (now BP America) subcontract to Intec Engineering, 1986
This study provides a detailed description of marine climate along tanker transportation routes from the Bering Sea to the Chukchi Sea lease sale area. The information was used in technical and economic comparisons between pipelines and tanker transportation systems.
Ice Conditions Affecting Vessel Design and Operation
for Glosten Associates, Seattle, 1985
This study reviewed all publicly available ice information as input to the development of a new U.S. flag icebreaking offshore support vessel optimized for Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea conditions.
Statistical Summary of Summer Ice Conditions Affecting a Deep Draft Tow of a Drilling Structure Past Point Barrow, Alaska
for Dome Petroleum Limited, 1982
A proposed structure drawing 30 m of water was used in series of towing simulations through historical ice conditions, 1968 – 1981. Results were used to predict the success rates of completing voyages around Point Barrow.
Ice Conditions Along Arctic Tanker Routes
for Beaufort Sea Production Environmental Impact Statement (Dome/Gulf/Esso), 1981
A summary report and statistical appendix describe important characteristics of the different sea ice regimes along tanker routes east and westbound from the Canadian Beaufort Sea, through the Northwest Passage from Baffin Bay and around the coast of Alaska.
Publications: Marine Transportation
Water Resources of Western Canada – Transportation Use
for Canada West Foundation, 1980
The use of waterways within the Arctic and Hudson Bay drainage basins was examined with regard to water quality, water levels, traffic patterns and potential effects of future developments (resources, hydro-electric and highways).
Evaluation of a Year-Round Shipping Route to Melville Island through Fury and Hecla Strait
for Petro Canada Exploration, October 1979
This study reviewed year-round ice conditions from the north Labrador Sea through Hudson Strait to Barrow Strait (via Foxe Basin and Prince Regent Inlet) as a potential alternative to the main route proposed for Arctic Pilot Project deep draft LNG vessels.
