CONFERENCE RECAP: WORKFORCE
investment in the candidate’s training, you save time and resources and maybe prevent burnout.” Keeping safety at the forefront As traffic grows and technology evolves, maintaining safety remains the industry’s bedrock. “Safety is culture,” said Amat. “It has to be lived every day, by everyone. Employers, unions, ship owners — we all work together on programs around confined spaces, working from heights, fall protection. The goal is simple: everyone goes home safe at the end of the day.” Kennedy noted that for the Coast Pilots, safety is literally written into their mandate under the Canada Shipping Act : to protect human life, property, and the environment. “We refuse to lower standards,” he said firmly. “Our exam pro- cess, apprenticeships, and continuing assessments all ensure pilots stay sharp. Even our most senior pilots are regularly evaluated on their techniques and technology use.” Simulators, again, play a central role. “When something fails in the simulator, it shakes you up,” Kennedy admitted. “It feels real — and that’s what makes it such an effective safety tool.” Building the next generation The panel turned to the next big question: Are we doing enough to build the next generation of maritime workers? Amat was candid: “Technology changes so quickly that it’s hard to keep up, but we have to embrace it if we want to stay competitive globally. The challenge is to use it wisely — to make us safer and more efficient without losing the human expertise that keeps the industry running.” Kennedy added that while the pilots are fortunate to recruit from experienced mariners, they recognize the need to strengthen the entire pipeline of potential recruits. “We’ve got pilots working with Paul’s team and others to promote marine careers and mentor younger people,” he said. Hilder’s assessment was more sobering. “The simple answer is no, not yet,” he said. “We’ve made progress, but it’s not enough.” He pointed to a 2025 Canadian Seafarer Pathway Study commissioned by the Marine Careers Foundation study that paints a stark picture: 28,500 mariners employed across Canada, with 3,600 vacancies — an 11-percent short- age, three times higher than in trucking or warehousing. Nearly half of all maritime jobs are in the Pacific region, and Canada will need 8,300 new mariners within five years just to maintain current levels yet existing training facilities can only supply 40 percent of that demand. “Unless we act, ships will be at anchor waiting for tugs to bring them into berths,” Hilder warned. “We’ve got to raise our industry’s profile, attract youth, women, and
Left to right: Steve Kennedy (BCCP), Lindsay Familton (BCMEA), Peter Amat (Pacific Basin Canada), and Paul Hilder (CMC).
traditionally under-represented communities to divers- ify our workforce, and secure more funding for training. Otherwise, the whole supply chain is at risk.” The role of automation and new pathways During the audience Q&A session, one question cut to the core of the future: Could automation or autonomous vessels help address labour shortages? Kennedy acknowledged that “remote pilotage” is being tested in Europe. “In Rotterdam, pilots guide ships remotely when conditions prevent boarding,” he said. “It’s still lim- ited — small ships, and just to the entrance of the port. For full-scale commercial use, we’re nowhere close yet.” Hilder agreed, noting that while short routes between the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island might one day see autonomous technology, “the economics just aren’t there yet and the regulatory complexity is huge.” Another audience member suggested tapping into retired military and Coast Guard personnel. Hilder welcomed the idea, noting that Transport Canada has recently intro- duced equivalency programs for naval certificates. “There’s potential there,” he said. “But the bigger issue is national coordination. We don’t have a unified funding framework for marine training in Canada.” A shared vision for the coast As the session wrapped up, Familton brought the discus- sion back to the theme of the conference: One Ocean, Shared Vision . “We’re all facing the same challenges,” she said. “Our supply chain is an ecosystem — none of us can work without the other. That’s also where our greatest opportunity lies — working together to find new ways to attract talent, leverage technology, and sustain safety and reliability on the coast.” In a world of rapid change, B.C.’s maritime community is proving that while ships and systems evolve, it’s still people — their skill, courage, and commitment — who keep the ocean highways open.
October/November 2025 — PACIFIC PORTS — 41
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