Advance notification of coasting trade for foreign vessels

 

Eligible vessel owners and operators must provide advance notice to Transport Canada before providing these coasting trade services without a licence in Canada. Learn who is eligible to provide these services, and when and how to give advance notice.

Who is eligible

Vessel owners or operators must provide advance notice if they intend to provide the following coasting trade services without a licence in Canada:

  • feeder services
  • dredging services

The following vessel owners and operators are eligible to provide coasting trade services (as listed above) without a licence in Canada:

How to give advance notice

You must submit a Vessel Advance Notification Form with supporting documentation before engaging in Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)-exempt activities in Canadian waters:

  • 20 business days before the arrival of a vessel undertaking dredging activities and continuous feeder services
  • 10 business days before the arrival of the vessel undertaking single-trip feeder services

What you need to know before you start

Before completing the form, read the following guidance document(s) related to the applicable coasting trade activity:

Eligible EU and British entities must take measures to show that they meet any applicable requirements before using a foreign vessel to provide coasting trade services without a licence in Canada.

The vessel owner must provide all supporting documents to Transport Canada and indicate relevant sections that demonstrate their eligibility. Documents must establish that the vessel owner meets the conditions set out in the Coasting Trade Act.

Submit supporting documentation with each notification form. Examples include:

  • articles of incorporation
  • trust, joint venture, partnership or other association agreement
  • official documents issued by a business registration authority in Canada, UK or an EU country
  • proof of citizenship, permanent residency, or nationality of each person holding voting shares of the corporation or an interest in a third party trust, partnership, joint venture or other association
  • charter agreements

Submit separate forms for each activity.

Forms must be submitted in either English or French. All documents completed in another language must be accompanied by a translation in English or French and an affidavit signed by the translator attesting to the accuracy of the translation.

Transport Canada reserves the right to request further information, if necessary.

Non-personal information on the forms will be shared with other federal government departments and external stakeholders. This includes the vessel name, flag and type, as well as activity, location and dates.

Failure to demonstrate eligibility could result in enforcement action taken against the vessel.

How to submit a Vessel Advance Notification Form

  1. Fill out the required digital form and download and complete the required attestation
  2. Submission: select ‘submit’ on the form, and then send all supporting documents, including the Supplementary Attestation Document by mail, fax or email.

    Mailing address:

    Transport Canada
    Attention: Coasting Trade Act
    Marine Policy Directorate (ACF)
    330 Sparks Street
    Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N5

    Fax: 1-613-998-1845
    Email: tc.coastingtrade-cabotage.tc@tc.gc.ca

OR

  1. Download and complete the required form:
  2. Submit the form, with all supporting documents, by mail, fax or email.

    Mailing address:

    Transport Canada
    Attention: Coasting Trade Act
    Marine Policy Directorate (ACF)
    330 Sparks Street
    Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N5

    Fax: 1-613-998-1845
    Email: tc.coastingtrade-cabotage.tc@tc.gc.ca

 

More information

Existing regulatory and legal requirements on foreign vessels operating in Canadian waters, such as Customs Tariffs and safety and pollution prevention requirements, are still in effect. Learn about the requirements for foreign vessels.