June 22, 2023 – CILTNA Webinar: “Toward Decarbonization of West Coast Sea and Air: Harbour/Escort Tugs and Commuter Airplanes”

Date/Time
Date(s) - 22 June 2023
12:00 pm EDT - 1:00 pm EDT

Join us on June 22, 2023 at 9 am PT/ 12 PM ET/ 5 PM GMT for a CILTNA hosted Webinar: “Toward Decarbonization of West Coast Sea and Air: Harbour/Escort Tugs and Commuter Airplanes”.

Canada has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Join us to learn how HaiSea Marine and Harbour Air Group are helping to make that a realization through green tugboat fleets and electrically-powered aircraft.

Vince Percy, Director of Operations – HaiSea Marine will discuss how HaiSea Marine LP., majority owned by the Haisla Nation, Kitimat in partnership with Seaspan, ULC has a major contract with LNG Canada to build and operate escort and harbour tugs for their new export facility at Kitimat. Designed by Vancouver-based naval architect Robert Allan Ltd, and built by Sanmar Shipyards based in Turkiye, 5 new tugs were named, following a naming contest, by Haisla Chief Councillor Crystal Smith in North Vancouver in May, 2023.

The new fleet will be among the greenest tugboat fleets in the world. The three harbour tugs will be first of class battery electric tugs, designed to perform berthing and unberthing missions using battery electric power. With an ample supply of hydroelectric power in Kitimat, the tugs will be able to recharge from shore-charging stations, resulting in near zero emissions.

The two escort tugs will be powered by dual fuel (LNG and diesel), the west coast’s most powerful escort tugs. They will feature an exhaust after-treatment system, meeting the most stringent IMO standards.

Erika Holtz, Engineering and Quality Manager, Harbour Air Group will discuss how in August, 2022, Canadian seaplane operator Harbour Air for the first time flew its electrically-powered De Havilland Beaver prototype aircraft on a point-to-point test flight. The eBeaver flew 45 miles in 24 minutes between Vancouver and Victoria, BC.

In its April 21 Earth Day update on its “electric journey” the airline stated that there had been many “twists and turns” as it conducted tests on its eplane. It had hoped to be carrying passengers in the next couple of years. However, supply chain issues and changes to the types of electric engines have led to several delays.

Indeed the approval process for the magni650 with its novel engine and battery technology has caused issues. Harbour Air said, “certifying the installation of components into an aircraft where no certification path exists has been difficult” and that the new technology had been “outpacing the regulators”. It is hoped that the certification of the magni650 will be granted in mid-2025, with fare-paying passengers shortly thereafter.

About the presenters: 

Vince Percy, Director of Operations – HaiSea Marine

Having grown up in a small fishing town and subsequently entering the field of marine engineering, Vince has been involved in the maritime industry for his whole life. Over the years, he sailed on many different types of ships, progressing from a cadet to a chief engineer. More recently, he has been fortunate to oversee the construction of two dual-fuel LNG battery hybrid ferries. Following the vessels’ successful entry into service, Vince joined HaiSea Marine as Director of Operations. In his current role, he is responsible for operational readiness, including business startup activities, integration of shared services, contractual compliance, and the steerage of the company’s start-up plans.

What he finds most interesting about the industry is the variety of challenges and opportunities. Originally, Vince decided to become a marine engineer because it is such a multi-dimensional job. At a minimum, sailing engineers must have some level proficiency in welding, firefighting, first aid, technical writing, and analytical analysis. In moving to a management position, he has discovered a new and exciting level of job diversity within the industry. Vince enjoys the many aspects of leadership and business decision making, especially when they can be linked to the experience he has accumulated over his entire life.

Erika Holtz, Engineering and Quality Manager, Harbour Air Group

Erika has been involved in aviation all her life, beginning her professional career in 2003 as an EIT with International AeroProducts where she later became General Manager and Person Responsible for Quality to Transport Canada. In 2007 Erika completed her professional engineering status with APEGBC. Achieving her delegation status in 2010 as a Structural Delegate under the Design Approval Representative Program with Transport Canada, Erika became one of only ten structural DARs in the Pacific Region and started her own engineering company. In 2012, she accepted a position as the Engineering and Quality Manager for the Harbour Air Group of Companies. Erika has over 20 years of experience with modifications to general aircraft and over 15 years spent managing quality systems. Currently, Erika is the Project Manager and Lead Engineer for the Harbour Air electrification of the DHC-2 Beaver project, and has been chosen this year as one of 8 “Women who Inspire” by Elevate Aviation.

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