Our very good friend and colleague Captain Zak Farid passed away on April 18th at Royal Jubilee Hospital Victoria following two weeks in the Intensive Care Unit. Family and a number of close friends were at his bedside at the time of his passing. Zak was the Director, Operational Safety & Standards for BC Ferries for a number of years and was a long-standing Chair of the Navigation Aids and Navigation Safety Sub-committee of the Pacific Coast Marine Review Panel. After BC Ferries he was appointed the lead auditor conducting International Safety Management (ISM) Audits for BC Ferries and was one of the safety inspectors for Vanuatu Flag vessels arriving in Canada. Zak also holds the honour of being master of Canada’s first hovercraft running on a commercial basis and was the recipient of Transport Canada’s 2007 Marine Safety Award that recognized his outstanding contributions to Canadian marine safety.
Category: Uncategorized
Awards made to BCIT students
BCIT Nautical Sciences students Jeremy Botel and Matthew Clarke were two of the succesful applicants for this year’s NPESC bursary awards. Earlier today they were presented with their cheques and certificates by BC Supercargoes Association President, Terry Stuart. Also in attendance was NPESC secretary/treasurer Captain Joachim Ruether. These two awards were made possible by a generous donation from the BC Supercargoes Association.


Congratulations to Cody Goliath
Western Maritime Institute student Cody Goliath (centre) is presented with his cheque and certificate as one of the successful applicants for this years NPESC bursaries. Making the presentation to Cody, on behalf of NPESC, is Captain John Lewis. (Right). Also in attendance from WMI is Captain Bob Kitching, FNI (left), himself a founding member of NPESC.
Canada’s new Ocean Protection Plan
The recently announced $1.5 billion Ocean Protection Plan for Canada has four encompassing priority areas:
- Creating a world-leading marine safety system
- Preserving and restoring the marine ecosystem
- Investment in oil spill response and cleanup
- Partnerships with Indigenous communities
Included in the Ocean Protection Plan are new navigational aids, added towing capacity, a review of the Pilotage Act, and engagement with Indigenous groups in matters relating to spill response and marine safety. To read the full plan, visit: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/oceans-protection-plan.html.
Mariners’ Workshop
We shall never forget….
Last day to get those bursary applications in…
Today is the last day to get your applications in for our Bursary Awards.
Click on the “Contact Us” link above to complete the application form on line and upload your supporting documentation…
The latest Edition of “Seatimes” is now available…
CLICK HERE to read the latest edition of our quarterly publication.
Our thanks to Editor in Chief David Whitaker, FNI, for another wonderful issue.
NORDIC

- IMO: 9663001
- Name: NORDIC
- MMSI: 244868000
- Vessel Type: GENERAL CARGO
- Gross Tonnage: 2989
- Summer DWT: 3000 t
- Build: 2013
- Flag: NETHERLANDS
- Home port: URK
“Ultimate Responsibility”. My Journey Becoming a Navigation Officer:
“People often ask me why I wanted to become a Marine Navigation Officer…”
Third Officer Dylan Fowler MNI, outlines his response in this interesting article that was first published in the August 2016 edition of The Nautical Institute publication “Seaways”.
Dylan is a director of the BC Branch of the Nautical Institute.
Click on the above link to read the complete article.


