Business Plan - Canadian Coast Guard

46Section 4: What We Do Every DayMarine Security Operations CentresDFO/CCG will continue to proactively participate inthe multi-departmental Marine Security OperationsCentres initiatives. The Canadian Forces leads thisinitiative on the coasts while the RCMP providesthe lead in the St. Lawrence Seaway - Great Lakesarea. DFO contributes significant data on maritimetraffic and provides analysis of this data to supportthe enhancement of maritime domain awareness onCanada’s three coasts and in the St. Lawrence Seaway -Great Lakes area.The RCMP-led St. Lawrence Seaway - Great LakesMSOC initiative completed its development phase onMarch 31, 2008. Budget 2008 provided funding for theestablishment of a permanent MSOC in the Seaway -Great Lakes region.The classification and staffing of Coast Guard positionsin both the Coastal and Great Lakes Saint LawrenceSeaway MSOCs will be a priority in the coming years.Following the classification of proposed positions, thestaffing process will begin in 2009 and continue into2010. The goal is to place CCG MSOC personnelin accordance with the interim operating capacitiesestablished for the Centres.Automatic Identification System/Long RangeIdentification and Tracking SystemThe Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a keyCCG contribution to enhanced maritime security inand approaching Canadian waters. The system willenhance vessel surveillance, including near-real-timeidentification of vessels operating up to 40 nauticalmiles from Canada’s shores. AIS will be implementedin sites that allow maximum coverage of the coasts andentrances to Canada, the St. Lawrence River, and theGreat Lakes.AIS will be supplemented by the Long RangeIdentification and Tracking (LRIT) system. LRITis an integral part of the International MaritimeOrganization’s (IMO) efforts to further enhancemaritime security. Canada, through CCG, isleading the development and implementation of theinternational LRIT system. Using satellite technology,LRIT will allow for the tracking of Safety of Lifeat Sea Convention (SOLAS) class vessels enteringCanada and of Canadian SOLAS class vesselsoperating internationally.With LRIT, Canada will be able to identify and trackan estimated additional 1,000 ships a day. This datawill significantly enhance Canada’s maritime domainawareness. LRIT will also benefit search and rescueby identifying vessels of opportunity in the area of avessel in distress. LRIT was launched internationally inJanuary 2009 and will be fully operational by the endof fiscal year 2009-2010.Implementation of AIS and LRIT is on track. TreasuryBoard approval for Phase 2 of the AIS project includeda complete operational system delivery by 2009-2010. Delivery of AIS equipment and InformationTechnology equipment to the regions is underway.AIS Critical Design Review was completed inJanuary 2009 with the system Factory AcceptanceTest completed in February 2009. All equipment isscheduled to be delivered by the beginning of April2009 and all site installations are to be completed bythe Fall of 2009, with full Vessel Traffic ManagementInformation System (VTMIS) functionality plannedfor March 2010.Commitment2009-2010Install all required Automatic Identification Systemequipment and commission the fully operational system.LeadDG ITS,ACsReinvestment in the Asset BaseWe are investing in critical surveillance and trackingsystems in support of enhanced maritime security. Weexpect to spend $10.4 million on the AIS/LRIT projectin 2009-2010, $25 million over the life of the project.For a full description and a complete list of projects,see Annex A.Canadian Coast Guard — www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca