Each year, tankers carry about 80 million tonnes of oil exported from Canada’s coasts. (Source: Transport Canada 2022) Ships operate under strict international standards and are regularly inspected to ensure they meet regulations. All oil tankers moving through Canadian waters must be double-hulled — the bottom and sides have two complete layers of water-tight hull surface, significantly reducing the potential for an oil spill.
In Newfoundland and Labrador’s offshore, the Basin Wide Transportation and Transshipment System (BWTTS) was developed by offshore producers to schedule and transport their crude oil from offshore to transshipment facilities or other discharge ports.
On Canada’s west coast, every tanker is under the command of an experienced local pilot who knows local waters. For more information on protecting West Coast environments from oil spills, watch this video: