The Port of Vancouver is Canada’s largest and most diversified port, and the third largest in North America. In fact, Vancouver’s port is the same size as the next five largest Canadian ports combined. The port handles $1 of every $3 of Canada’s trade in goods outside of North America.

As the Manager of Marine Operations and Assistant Harbour Master, Sean Baxter is responsible for enforcing the regulations of the port, in order to ensure the safety of navigation, the security of the harbour and the correct operation of the port facilities.

Sean has spent 15 years working on or with ships in North America. He worked aboard ecotourism boats leading cage diving expeditions. He spent time working with the Canadian Coast Guard, and for the last nine years Sean has been working his way up through the ranks with the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. 

In this episode we talk about:

• Vancouver’s import / export breakdown 

• Submarines in Vancouver

• How risky would increased oil tanker traffic be? 

• The implications of the TMX Expansion 

• Oil spill and pollution protocol

• Port security - smuggling and trafficking