Saint John

Size limits

LOA 360m, beam 47m, draught 12.1m, 68,228DWT.

Water density

Dependant on the tide. During freshets it may become freshwater, when draught restrictions may be enforced.

Load line zone

North Atlantic Winter Seasonal Area. For ships over 100m in length, Winter Dec 16 to Feb 15, Summer Feb 16 to Dec 15. For ships of 100m or less in length, Winter Nov 1 to Mar 31, Summer Apr 1 to Oct 31.

Tides

Mean Spring range about 7.1m, Mean Neap range about 5.1m.

During the spring thaw a strong current may be encountered in the harbour. During these conditions restrictions may apply.

Surface flow of water may be misleading with a rising tide as, even with normal conditions, there is powerful outflow from the river at the head of the harbour.

Density current: The salinity of water into the harbour area varies with stat of tide. During Springs, the water in the harbour is almost all fresh. Salt water mixing with fresh varies according to time and geographical location, with layers of denser salt water mixing upward into layers of fresh. Density current has been recorded to be as high as 1.8kt.

Deepest first. The draught is the largest any of the terminal's berths states; a dash means the source gives none.

Approach

The port is approached between Negro Head, (45°11'N 066°09'W) and Cape Spencer, entered from close E of Partridge Island, (45°14'N 066°03'W) by dredged channels which lead into two separate arms of the harbour.

The main part of the commercial harbour lies at the mouth of the Saint John River on both banks up to the fixed road bridge, vertical clearance 23m, at Navy Island. Courtney Bay lies NE of Barrack Point, which separates the Saint John River from Courtney Bay. A number of deep water berths are located in the bay, including a large shipyard and graving docks.

Courtenay Bay Channel is dredged to a depth of 5.3m, minimum width of 152m, and the channel into Saint John River is dredged to a depth of 8.4m, up to 180m wide. Both are subject to constant silting and mariners are advised to obtain latest information on these depths from the Port Authority.

Port limits

The outer limit of the port is an E/W line, 6nm S of Partridge Island running from Musquash to a position 3.6nm S of Cape Spencer, then 000° to Cape Spencer. The inner limit is approximately 2nm upriver from reversing falls.

Traffic schemes and VTS

A VTS centre at Saint John, New Brunswick (call sign "Fundy Traffic") administers a system for the Bay of Fundy, including Saint John Harbour. The system features radar, VHF radio, and VHF D/F monitoring.

A traffic separation scheme is in effect in the Bay of Fundy and a vessel traffic zone has been established from the entrance of the Bay of Fundy to Saint John. The VTS provides information on traffic weather and other conditions on request.

Registration with the VTS Centre at Saint John is mandatory for vessels with a registered length of 20m or more and vessels engaged in towing or pushing where combined length is over 45m or where the length of the vessel or object being towed or pushed by a vessel is 20m or more and air cushion vehicles LOA8m. Vessels of less than 20m are encouraged to maintain a Listening Watch when navigating the Fundy Zone.

Entering a zone: 15 minutes before entering a vessel should make a request and include 'a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e', 'f' and 'g'.

Arriving at a reporting point: 'a', 'c' and 'I'.

Arriving at a berth: 'a' and 'c' as soon as is practicable.

Manoeuvres: 15min before, a vessel should request clearance to include 'a' and 'c'.

Anchorages

There are 4 designated anchorage areas (A-D) within the port limits in the approach to the harbour:

Anchorage A, in the SW approaches, centred on 45°12.5'N 066°04.7'W.

Anchorage B, adjoining the S boundary of A, centred on 45°10.0'N 066°07.0'W.

Anchorage C, in the SE approaches, centred on 45°10.7'N 066°01.1'W.

Anchorage D, adjoining S boundary of C, centred on 45°09.1'N 066°01.7'W.

Pilotage is compulsory in Anchorage A, and in the N parts of Anchorage B and C.

Vessels at anchor should remain in a state of readiness to proceed or manoeuvre at short notice and maintain continuous listening watch on VHF Radio.

Caution: Herring purse seine fishing is carried out in area A anchorage from November to April. Care should be taken to avoid fouling nets.

Abandoned submarine cables exist within the harbour area, including across the fairway NNE of Partridge Island, and within Courtenay Bay Channel. Care should be taken. These are areas are marked on the chart.

Restrictions

The harbour is tidal with vessel movements generally occurring from 3 hours before to 3 hours after HW which occurs twice daily.

Courtenay Bay: At these times, vessels entering or departing form Courtenay Bay may be restricted to a max draught of 8.5m and daylight movements only. Most movements in the harbour take place 2.5hrs either side of High Water.

Canaport Terminal (4nm to the SE of the main harbour): When the Canaport SBM is in use, or a vessel is either approaching or departing, an exclusion zone of 0.5nm is in place, centred on the SBM.

Vessel movement restrictions within the VTS may be in place when a tanker of 50,000GT or over, a vessel carrying dangerous cargo or a vessel navigating with difficulty is underway within the scheme.

Lower Cove Oil Terminal: During periods of winds forecast in excess of 30kts (Beaufort force 7) vessels engine must be on standby and be capable of responding at short notice.

Whales: A whale sanctuary, active annually from July to November, for right whales, which are an endangered species, exists in Grand Manan Basin within the following coordinates:.

a. 44°45'N, 66°35'W.

b. 44°45'N, 66°18'W.

c. 44°30'N, 66°18'W.

d. 44°30'N, 63°35'W.

A large part of this area is in the Bay of Fundy Traffic Separation Scheme and consequently may be difficult to avoid. Mariners are advised to avoid passage through this area. If this is not possible, then decrease speed, post lookouts, and mane mammal activity.

Tugs

Atlantic Towing Limited (ATL) provides tug and marine support to Port Saint John. Services offered by ATL in Saint John include harbour and escort towage, barge operations, dredging operations, workboat/line handling, fire fighting, spill response and pilot vessel services.

Work Boat and Launch Services are also available from D.M.K. Marine Services Ltd.

Mooring

Gangways: The Bay of Fundy has the largest tidal range in the world. Because of this, the use of a vessel's own gangway when berthing in Saint John is not recommended as it may not be sufficiently long. Suitable gangways can be hired from the Port Authority.

Charts and publications

BA 4745, 4746, 4749. Admiralty Pilot NP59, NP286(5).

Can Charts Can 4117 and 4116. Atlantic Sailing Coast Directions ATL 106 (Gulf of Maine and Bay of Fundy) and ATL 107 (Saint John River).

US Sailing Directions No 145 (Nova Scotia and the St Lawrence). US14022, 14021.

ETA and pre-arrival notices

Vessels ETA must be advised to Atlantic Pilotage Authority via any maritime radio station, 12 hours before arrival at the pilot boarding position, with confirmation 4 hours in advance of arrival.

ETA for Irving Saint John Oil Terminal should be sent to agent 96, 72 and 24 hours before arrival.

Communications

Halifax Coastguard Radio (callsign "VCS") can be used for passing messages throughout 24 hours. Amver messages can be passed through "VCS".

Halifax Coastguard CRS has sites at Sambro (44°28.3'N 063°37.3'W); Ecum Secum (44°57.9'N 062°09.0'W); Kingsburg (44°16.5'N 064°17.3'W). HF and MF frequencies are used, depending upon distance from station.

VHF: Via "Yarmouth Marine Radio Station" callsign "VAU".

Halifax Marine Radio: Ch 12, 14 and 16, callsign "VCS" and "Fundy Traffic".

Notice of readiness

NOR normally tendered when vessel secured alongside berth except most tankers tender on arrival pilot station or at port limits.

Documents

The Dangerous Goods manifest details and ETA are to be reported on departure previous port, 72, 48 and 24 hours in advance.

Health

Pratique should be applied for when arriving from a country which has infectious diseases or death onboard from unknown causes. Pratique is applied for through the vessels agent. A Health Declaration is required.

Ship Sanitation Control Certificate and Exemption Certificates can be renewed.

Customs and immigration

Allowances: For each officer or crew member the allowance is 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars and 0.9kg of tobacco and 1.1 litres of liquor or wine or 8.2 litres of beer or ale.

Penalty for non compliance with the above is forfeiture. If ship's bond count is not accurate, overage results in forfeiture and penalty, under results in payment of duty, taxes and penalty.

Immigration: Routine filing of documents is undertaken by the vessels agent. There are no restrictions on crew and/or passengers except those who require a visa. If they do not possess a visa they must remain onboard the vessel.

Flags

State flag to be flown over the stern and Canadian flag at the mast.

Notices and regulations

The port operating by laws are available via agents.

Harbour regulations: Vessels manoeuvring or otherwise underway in Saint John Harbour, and also while at an alongside berth or at anchor, are subject to the Saint John Port Corporation By-law "Operating Regulations", a copy of which can be obtained from the Port Authority.

Speed: No vessel shall move in the harbour at a speed that may endanger life or property.

Exclusion zone: An exclusion zone, radius 0.5nm, is centred on the Canaport SBM (see separate entry). The zone is in force whenever vessels are approaching, discharging at, or departing the berth.

ETD: Vessels must request a Pilot from the Atlantic Pilotage Authority four hours before ETD. if intending to depart of move within the Compulsory Pilotage Area. (Local time should be used. If GMT is used, this must be expressly stated).

Movements and berthing: Port Authority is permitted to order vessels to move, use tugs and berth or anchor in designated places. The Port Authority also sets out certain restrictions on berthing and anchoring and requires Masters of vessels to inform them of their intention to berth or anchor within the limits of the port.

Signals: Vessels requesting Pilots should show normal International Signals required for Pilots (Day and Night). In conditions of restricted visibility such as fog, snow or heavy rain, the requesting vessel should sound four long blasts, at intervals until the Pilot vessel is alongside. The Pilot vessel will, in addition to regular signals, should four short blasts back, at intervals.

Port State Control here: Paris MOU, Tokyo MOU.

Running now: the Paris and Tokyo MOU concentrated inspection campaign on cargo securing, 1 September to 30 November 2026. Its questions are published: the questionnaire.

Inspection of ships in Canada

Transport Canada,

Inspection and Operations Standards Division,

Tower C, Place de Ville, 330 Sparks Street, 11th Floor, Ottawa, ON K1A 0N5.

For Flag State Inspection Standards (Canadian Vessels):

Tel: +1 613 991 3135

Fax: +1 613 991 4818

Teletypewriter / TDD: +1 888 675 6863

Email: [email protected]

For Port State Control Standards (Foreign Vessels):

Tel: +1 613 991 3135

Fax: +1 613 993 8196

Teletypewriter / TDD: +1 888 675 6863

Email: [email protected]

ISPS

ISPS Designated Authority: Directorate Marine Security - Transport Canada.

Position: Director General.

Address: 112 Kent Street, Tower B, Place de Ville, Ottawa, ON, K1A ON5, Canada.

Tel: +1 613 851 6302

Fax: +1 613 949 3906

Website: http://www.tc.gc.ca

For further ISPS information see IMO website http://www.imo.org

Repairs

Major repairs can be effected.

Dry docks

Saint John Shipbuilding Ltd operate 2 drydocks in Courtenay Bay. The larger can be divided into 2 separate docks and has the following dimensions: overall length 425m, width at top of entrance 40m, depth over sill at MHWS 12.8m, when sub divided the inner and outer parts are, respectively, 225m and 198m in length.

The smaller drydock is 134m in length, width 18m and depth 7.0m. It is semi tidal. There are 4 piers with a capacity to berth vessels of up to LOA 320m.

Bunkers, water and stores

Fresh water: Available.

Bunkering: Available.

Stores: Provisions of all kinds available.

Medical

Saint John Regional Hospital, 5km. There are several in the City.

Crew change

Crew change is by arrangement through agents.

Transport

Nearest airport: Turnbull Field, 19km. Saint John Airport, 26km.

Airport facilities: Crew change and airfreight handled.

Nearest railway: New Brunswick Southern Railway, Montreal Maine Atlantic Rail Road and Guildford Transportation.

Working hours

Port labour is available normally between 0800-1200hrs, 1300-1700hrs and 1900-2300hrs.

Overtime is operated daily and labour can be ordered for 0001-0800hrs at overtime rates. Weekend work and holidays are also charged at overtime rates.

Where it is

Saint John is situated in the Bay of Fundy, 110km from the border with the USA, 771km by rail from Montreal and 1,318km by rail from Toronto.

The port

Saint John is an ice free, deep water port with modern, specialised facilities.

Exports include forest and refined oil products, grain, flour and other agricultural commodities, salt, metals in ingot and fabricated forms and potash.

In addition to the Port Authority facilities there are several private operations located throughout the port area. Irving Oil Company own a substantial area of land to the East of the main harbour.

Canaport Terminal (a joint venture between Canaport and Irving Oil) is located 4nm SE of Saint John's main harbour area. (See separate port entry).

Traffic

Approx 25,000,000t of cargo, 240,000TEU, 990 vessels and 196,000 passengers handled annually.

What are the pilot arrangements at Saint John?

Compulsory within port limits and parts of the outer anchorage areas.

What time zone is Saint John in?

Local time at Saint John is UTC−4. Clocks go to UTC−3 on 14 Mar 2027. Back to UTC−4 on 7 Nov 2027.

What is the maximum draft at Saint John?

The deepest berth listed is at Marco Polo Cruise Terminal: 12.10 m maximum draught. The "Max draft per terminal" table gives each terminal's figure.

What is the water density at Saint John?

Dependant on the tide.

Which load line zone is Saint John in?

North Atlantic Winter Seasonal Area.

Who carries out Port State Control at Saint John?

Port State Control at Saint John: Paris MOU, Tokyo MOU.

What is the UN/LOCODE of Saint John?

The UN/LOCODE of Saint John is CASJB.

What crews who called at Saint John say: pilot boarding, the agent's papers, inspections, shore leave. Each tip is shown with the writer's rank and ship type, and an AI summary sits on top once there are three or more.

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