Coasting Trade Act

Marginal note:Prohibition

• 3 (1) Subject to subsections (2) to (5), no foreign ship or non-duty paid ship shall, except under and in accordance with a licence, engage in the coasting trade.

• Marginal note:Application

  (2) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of any foreign ship or non-duty paid ship that is

  • (a) used as a fishing vessel, as defined by the Coastal Fisheries Protection Act, in any activity governed by that Act and that does not carry any goods or passengers other than goods or passengers incidental to any activity governed by that Act;

  • (b) engaged in any ocean research activity commissioned by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans;

  • (c) operated or sponsored by a foreign government that has sought and received the consent of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to conduct marine scientific research;

  • (c.1) engaged in seismic activities in waters above the continental shelf of Canada that are in relation to the exploration for mineral or non-living natural resources of the continental shelf of Canada;

  • (d) engaged in salvage operations, except where such operations are performed in Canadian waters; or

  • (e) engaged, with the approval of a person designated as a pollution response officer under section 174.1 of the Canada Shipping Act, 2001, in activities related to a marine pollution emergency, or to a risk of a marine pollution emergency.

• Marginal note:Assistance in cases of distress

  (3) Nothing in this section precludes a foreign ship or a non-duty paid ship from rendering assistance to persons, ships or aircraft in danger or distress in Canadian waters.

• Marginal note:United States Wreckers Act

  (4) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of operations permitted by the United States Wreckers Act.

• Marginal note:DEW Sites

  (5) Subsection (1) does not apply to any ship that is owned by the Government of the United States and used for the sole purpose of transporting goods of Canadian or United States origin owned by the Government of the United States to supply Distant Early Warning Sites.