No Mention that in a *co-operative* they envision this to be someday you get an equity cheque.
No mention of Measners ties to Mission Terminal.
Slight mention of consultation process.
Who do they think they are Qaddafi?
http://www.cwb.ca/public/en/hot/lakers/#qanda
Question and Answer - updated February 22, 2011
Q. How are these ships being paid for?
A. The investment in these two vessels totals $65 million. This will be paid from general revenues over the course of four crop years. The purchase will not be financed over a longer period, meaning there is no borrowing and no interest charges.
Q. Do only farmers who ship from the east coast pay for the boats and benefit from the boats?
A. All farmers will pay the upfront cost of the investment, and all farmers will benefit from the long-term revenue. The cost is coming from CWB general revenues, so all farmers pay a share. The long-term revenue will flow into general revenues, benefitting all farmers. The costs and benefits are not limited to those whose grain moves in any one direction.
Q. How does the CWB expect to be able to operate ships? What do you know about operating large lake vessels?
A. We are not experts at operating ships. That's why we are entering an agreement with two major shipping companies, Algoma Central Corporation and Upper Lakes Group Inc. The ships will be operated by Seaway Marine Transport, which is a partnership of the two companies. They will operate as part of a pool of ships that will include vessels owned by Algoma and Upper Lakes.
Q. Will these carry exclusively Prairie grain?
A. No. They will operate as part of a pool of ships managed by Seaway Marine Transport, and all shipping opportunities will be maximized. In general, the ships will often carry grain eastward out of Thunder Bay, and carry iron ore or other commodities from seaports back into the Great Lakes. This will maximize the revenue potential of the ships.
Q: What else will the ships be carrying?
A: These boats are dry bulk carriers, which means they can carry goods that are classified as dry bulk, including grain, iron, ore, coal, aggregate, salt. In terms of what they will be carrying, it really depends on the trip. Seaway Marine Transport will be marketing these ships to get the maximum value for producers.
Q. Is this purchase within the CWB's mandate?
A. Yes. The CWB's goal is to maximize farmer returns. Reducing transportation costs by investing in these ships can help achieve that goal. Every year, it costs farmers $70-75 million to move their grain through the Great Lakes. Through this investment, farmers share in the revenue and recoup part of these costs.
Q. Is the east coast going to continue to be an important route for shipping farmers' grain?
A. Yes, Last year, CWB-chartered lake freight totalled about three million tonnes. Volumes through the east are expected to increase in coming years - our projections show east coast shipments could grow more than 20 per cent by 2018. East coast ports primarily serve Europe, Africa and Latin America, and our projections show increased demand from these regions.
Q. Why do this now?
A. The Great Lakes fleet is aging and needs renewal. The Government of Canada recently removed a 25-per-cent tariff on imported ships to make the renewal of the Canadian domestic fleet economically feasible. Tariff removal, combined with a strong Canadian dollar, make this an opportune time for this investment.
Q. Can the CWB own assets like this?
A. Yes, the CWB can legally acquire movable property, such as the hopper cars it already owns or these ships. (The CWB owns about 3,400 hopper cars, which have proven a sound investment that has paid for itself many times over.) The CWB is only prohibited under the Canadian Wheat Board Act from buying real-estate assets such as grain elevators or port terminals, without government approval.
Q. How large are these boats? What is their tonnage capacity, physical size and fuel usage?
A. These two vessels are in the Equinox class, and are regarded as the next generation of Great Lakes bulk carriers. They can each haul up to 30 000 tonnes, roughly 5,000 tonnes more than the average laker today. These lakers will be able to carry more cargo, sail faster, consume less fuel, and be more environmentally friendly. A video explaining the features of the new Equinox class bulk carriers can be found here.
Q. How long will these boats provide a revenue stream?
A. We are projecting a lifespan of 25 years for these vessels. Keep in mind, however, that every boat currently serving the Great Lakes is now older than 25 years - the newest boat was launched 28 years ago.
Q: How much CWB grain is moved through the St. Lawrence Seaway, in tonnes and dollar value, each year?
A: Between 3 and 3.6 million tonnes per year, with a dollar value of between $70 and $75 million.
Q: How many trips will they make in a typical year?
A. Each boat will make 14 trips in a typical year.
Q: Where will the crews come from and how big will the crew be?
A: The crews will be all Canadian, as required by Canadian law, and currently each laker employs a crew of between 21 and 24 people.
Q. How many ships are in the laker system?
A. There are currently 20 Canadian dry bulk ships in the laker fleet, and they are aging. The newest boat was launched 28 years ago. Aging vessels, as well as changes to ballast-water regulations and fuel-usage restrictions, could make a large part of the lake fleet obsolete.
No mention of Measners ties to Mission Terminal.
Slight mention of consultation process.
Who do they think they are Qaddafi?
http://www.cwb.ca/public/en/hot/lakers/#qanda
Question and Answer - updated February 22, 2011
Q. How are these ships being paid for?
A. The investment in these two vessels totals $65 million. This will be paid from general revenues over the course of four crop years. The purchase will not be financed over a longer period, meaning there is no borrowing and no interest charges.
Q. Do only farmers who ship from the east coast pay for the boats and benefit from the boats?
A. All farmers will pay the upfront cost of the investment, and all farmers will benefit from the long-term revenue. The cost is coming from CWB general revenues, so all farmers pay a share. The long-term revenue will flow into general revenues, benefitting all farmers. The costs and benefits are not limited to those whose grain moves in any one direction.
Q. How does the CWB expect to be able to operate ships? What do you know about operating large lake vessels?
A. We are not experts at operating ships. That's why we are entering an agreement with two major shipping companies, Algoma Central Corporation and Upper Lakes Group Inc. The ships will be operated by Seaway Marine Transport, which is a partnership of the two companies. They will operate as part of a pool of ships that will include vessels owned by Algoma and Upper Lakes.
Q. Will these carry exclusively Prairie grain?
A. No. They will operate as part of a pool of ships managed by Seaway Marine Transport, and all shipping opportunities will be maximized. In general, the ships will often carry grain eastward out of Thunder Bay, and carry iron ore or other commodities from seaports back into the Great Lakes. This will maximize the revenue potential of the ships.
Q: What else will the ships be carrying?
A: These boats are dry bulk carriers, which means they can carry goods that are classified as dry bulk, including grain, iron, ore, coal, aggregate, salt. In terms of what they will be carrying, it really depends on the trip. Seaway Marine Transport will be marketing these ships to get the maximum value for producers.
Q. Is this purchase within the CWB's mandate?
A. Yes. The CWB's goal is to maximize farmer returns. Reducing transportation costs by investing in these ships can help achieve that goal. Every year, it costs farmers $70-75 million to move their grain through the Great Lakes. Through this investment, farmers share in the revenue and recoup part of these costs.
Q. Is the east coast going to continue to be an important route for shipping farmers' grain?
A. Yes, Last year, CWB-chartered lake freight totalled about three million tonnes. Volumes through the east are expected to increase in coming years - our projections show east coast shipments could grow more than 20 per cent by 2018. East coast ports primarily serve Europe, Africa and Latin America, and our projections show increased demand from these regions.
Q. Why do this now?
A. The Great Lakes fleet is aging and needs renewal. The Government of Canada recently removed a 25-per-cent tariff on imported ships to make the renewal of the Canadian domestic fleet economically feasible. Tariff removal, combined with a strong Canadian dollar, make this an opportune time for this investment.
Q. Can the CWB own assets like this?
A. Yes, the CWB can legally acquire movable property, such as the hopper cars it already owns or these ships. (The CWB owns about 3,400 hopper cars, which have proven a sound investment that has paid for itself many times over.) The CWB is only prohibited under the Canadian Wheat Board Act from buying real-estate assets such as grain elevators or port terminals, without government approval.
Q. How large are these boats? What is their tonnage capacity, physical size and fuel usage?
A. These two vessels are in the Equinox class, and are regarded as the next generation of Great Lakes bulk carriers. They can each haul up to 30 000 tonnes, roughly 5,000 tonnes more than the average laker today. These lakers will be able to carry more cargo, sail faster, consume less fuel, and be more environmentally friendly. A video explaining the features of the new Equinox class bulk carriers can be found here.
Q. How long will these boats provide a revenue stream?
A. We are projecting a lifespan of 25 years for these vessels. Keep in mind, however, that every boat currently serving the Great Lakes is now older than 25 years - the newest boat was launched 28 years ago.
Q: How much CWB grain is moved through the St. Lawrence Seaway, in tonnes and dollar value, each year?
A: Between 3 and 3.6 million tonnes per year, with a dollar value of between $70 and $75 million.
Q: How many trips will they make in a typical year?
A. Each boat will make 14 trips in a typical year.
Q: Where will the crews come from and how big will the crew be?
A: The crews will be all Canadian, as required by Canadian law, and currently each laker employs a crew of between 21 and 24 people.
Q. How many ships are in the laker system?
A. There are currently 20 Canadian dry bulk ships in the laker fleet, and they are aging. The newest boat was launched 28 years ago. Aging vessels, as well as changes to ballast-water regulations and fuel-usage restrictions, could make a large part of the lake fleet obsolete.
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