[Saint John] Port Development

[Ottawa]

Originally Posted by DyAm00394

'AIM is a black eye on our community,' says Saint John mayor



There is a lot more you can read here: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-b...bill-1.6970177

Mayor Donna Reardon has my full support.

The lost economic activity, financial expense, and potential health consequences extends to every individual in the city and surrounding area. As she articulated, this extends into the future as well. I totally agree.

Businesses all the way from the closest neighbours of AIM to those most distant.

Just tabulating the cost to individuals, businesses, and the environment is a huge job. For that, the federal and provincial governments should be held accountable for all costs not able to be covered by AIM.

DP World and the Port of Saint John, who had to take emergency measures in the middle of the night to decouple and move a moored ship that was in the process of loading and unloading, to prevent further disaster. I believe that ship ended up leaving prematurely. I am not sure. Every container moved under normal conditions is about $1500 - $2000, give or take. Every one lost is that and more. Then add the costs of irregular emergency movements. There remains the future potential of liabilities to the shipping companies and DPW also.

I would guess there were at least delays on the east side IOL terminal. I don't know if any ships left or failed to dock from this event.

All the uptown businesses would have been drastically affected.

It was only good luck there were no cruise ships in town that night, or even the next day.

All the residents of the central peninsula and the west side have been most highly exposed to whatever was spewing from the fire. We still don't know what has been measured yet.

Who ever thought putting a residential area at such risk was a good idea?

All the way to those at the furthest boundaries of the city who either lost business or had to shut their doors to prevent further health effects from the as yet unknown compounds that everyone was being exposed to.

I don't see how AIM can ever be allowed to operate in this city again. The fact that it hasn't been announced yet only makes me wonder what more they need.

There are other parties in this that I wonder about. The Port of Saint John states on their website:

"Port Saint John operates on the traditional and unceded territory of the Wolastoqey, the Mi'Kmaq, and Peskotomuhkati Nations."

Does that statement mean they have input in this?

[MonctonianSentinel01]

Originally Posted by Ottawa

"Port Saint John operates on the traditional and unceded territory of the Wolastoqey, the Mi'Kmaq, and Peskotomuhkati Nations."

Does that statement mean they have input in this?

I picked up an Urban Walking Map in Halifax the last time that I was down there a couple of weeks ago. It said the same thing on the back of it, about the whole HRM as a whole. I think it's just the political times that we are in, like some kind of political head nod. It's seen as good publicity I think. I don't think that it necessarily means that they are involved. If that helps?

[MonctonianSentinel01]

https://discoverhalifaxns.com/plan/maps/
Very first map on the front of it. Under Land Acknowledgement. Just thought I'd post it so you can see for yourself.

[DyAm00394]

Council voted last night to ask the premier and the province to shut down American Iron and Metal (AIM) once and for all. Councillor Greg Norton put forward the motion at Monday night’s meeting, which was supported by a 7-3 vote.

Norton said all three levels of government and Port Saint John need to sit down and come up with a solution to ensure AIM’s operation “is no longer.”

His motion asked the chief administrative officer to “request in writing and through ongoing efforts … that the Premier and the Province of New Brunswick invoke their power to shut down AIM for good and never allow an organization like this to operate on our waterfront or in our city again.”

However, some councillors around the horseshoe feel they need to do more than simply write a letter to the province.

Coun. Brent Harris said the motion was “completely weak” as written, adding similar letters in the past have done nothing.

“We need to do more than use our mouths. We need to take action ourselves,” Harris told his fellow councillors.

“If that means pulling our board members from Port Saint John, I think we should consider it. If that means considering a class-action lawsuit for the citizens of Saint John who have been in many ways affected, and in many ways we don’t know how they have been affected, I think we should consider it.”

Harris put forward an amended motion saying Saint John should also invoke its power to shut down AIM for good, but it was defeated.

The city has no jurisdiction over the federal lands on which AIM Recycling operates and does not have any jurisdiction over regulating its operations.

Source: https://www.country94.ca/2023/09/19/...il-to-premier/

[cdnguys]

I’d love to know the financial impact on AIMs operation shutting them down here in SJ - I don’t have one ounce of concern for them, just the business side of me is curious. Port was such easy access to get scrap offshore to other markets.

[Ottawa]

Originally Posted by MonctonianSentinel01

I picked up an Urban Walking Map in Halifax the last time that I was down there a couple of weeks ago. It said the same thing on the back of it, about the whole HRM as a whole. I think it's just the political times that we are in, like some kind of political head nod. It's seen as good publicity I think. I don't think that it necessarily means that they are involved. If that helps?

Speculation iis OK, but at this point, i want a valid legal opinion. I have seen (and heard) these things for years and I don't know what the real purpose is.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Ottawa

I don't know what the real purpose is.

For the person making the declaration, the purpose is perfunctory virtue signaling.

For the first nations activists, the purpose is to make the "settlers" feel guilty and depressed.

There are no legal ramifications to these declarations whatsoever.

[DyAm00394]

Apparently the port CEO and Higgs question whether AIM can stay on the port property.

“Even before fire ripped through a pile of scrap metal last week, officials with Port Saint John were talking to American Iron and Metal about moving part of its operations off-site.

Port CEO Craig Bell Estabrooks said they talked about moving metal shredding from port property.

During a Zoom call with Premier Blaine Higgs and reporters on Tuesday morning, Bell Estabrooks was asked about whether the lease with AIM allows the port to relocate them.

Bell Estabrooks said legal counsel has been "looking at all aspects of the lease.

Saint John city council has asked that AIM's waterfront operation be shut down permanently. Higgs also raised the possibility the scrapyard would not be back in business, but he didn't make a firm commitment.

He said the investigation would "get to the bottom" of what happened "and to answer the question that the public are all asking — is that operation fit to be operating where it is today?"

During Tuesday's Zoom call, Higgs said the company won't resume operations until "we're satisfied that it can run, and right now, given what's happened leading into this, there's a lot of doubt about that."

Higgs said the investigation will look at the fire and all of the other incidents at AIM over the last 12 years.

During that time, the company has had numerous explosions, which prompted letters from Saint John council to the province, complaints from neighbours about noise and odour, and two workplace deaths.

In a statement released late Tuesday morning, AIM acknowledged concerns expressed by Saint John Mayor Donna Reardon, and Higgs and Bell Estabrooks.

"The safety and well-being of AIM's employees, and the residents and Community of Saint John are paramount and at the heart of AIM's priorities," the company said. To this end, AIM welcomes the appointment of a Government task force to investigate the incident and pledges its active support and collaboration.

"Additionally, AIM is resolute in keeping residents and stakeholders well-informed as we all navigate through this challenging situation."

The emailed statement was signed by "The American Iron & Metal (AIM) Management Team."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-b...tion-1.6971307

[adamuptownsj]

From a political perspective, the impacts are fascinating. If Higgs can kill it, using means regular or exotic, it bodes well for his survival. If Long shrugs and references a secret lease while saying his hands are tied, it cripples his future provincial plans.

Higgs will have brand new candidates running three ridings directly or indirectly impacted by the AIM fire (replacing the retiring/fired Anderson Mason, Shepherd, and Holder) and Dunn, the sole possibly-returning candidate in the immediate area, is in a perpetual tossup seat. So he would be wise to pull out all the stops to kill it. Gives him some practical environmental credibility to compare and contrast with carbon tax voodoo economics.

Federally, Wayne Long has to get something done or his earned reputation as someone who gets things done in Ottawa will be damaged. His telegraphed plan to bring NB Liberals back to relevance with him at the helm will become questionable. If the feds don't act this moves the new Saint John-Kennebecasis riding firmly out of reach for whoever runs after him as a Liberal, too. Does Hickey punt again?

Municipally, it seems like most of council understand they're powerless to directly change anything. Of course, Harris is bloviating about removing Saint John's appointed member from the Port's board and filing a vague class-action lawsuit. Does he not understand the Port is on our side from the stevedores to the CEO on this matter? I mean, he probably doesn't. But what he and Killen clearly want is to be Green nominees provincially, so virtue signaling it is. No idea what Radwan's game is here.

https://www.country94.ca/2023/09/19/...il-to-premier/

[Ottawa]

Originally Posted by DyAm00394

Council voted last night to ask the premier and the province to shut down American Iron and Metal (AIM) once and for all. Councillor Greg Norton put forward the motion at Monday night’s meeting, which was supported by a 7-3 vote.

Norton said all three levels of government and Port Saint John need to sit down and come up with a solution to ensure AIM’s operation “is no longer.”

His motion asked the chief administrative officer to “request in writing and through ongoing efforts … that the Premier and the Province of New Brunswick invoke their power to shut down AIM for good and never allow an organization like this to operate on our waterfront or in our city again.”

However, some councillors around the horseshoe feel they need to do more than simply write a letter to the province.

Coun. Brent Harris said the motion was “completely weak” as written, adding similar letters in the past have done nothing.

“We need to do more than use our mouths. We need to take action ourselves,” Harris told his fellow councillors.

“If that means pulling our board members from Port Saint John, I think we should consider it. If that means considering a class-action lawsuit for the citizens of Saint John who have been in many ways affected, and in many ways we don’t know how they have been affected, I think we should consider it.”

Harris put forward an amended motion saying Saint John should also invoke its power to shut down AIM for good, but it was defeated.

The city has no jurisdiction over the federal lands on which AIM Recycling operates and does not have any jurisdiction over regulating its operations.

Source: https://www.country94.ca/2023/09/19/...il-to-premier/

I am hopeful that this is only a formality in getting the province to revoke the operating license of AIM. I applaud Councillor Brent Harris for his wanting to put an exclamation point on the proceedings. It doesn't hurt for those in the provincial government to know the frustration level of dealing with AIM for far too long.

I would expect that DP World will be sending a bill or suing for loss of business and other expenses. The costs of moving and holding in position one of the largest ships to visit the terminal during this emergency should rightfully be borne by those who caused it. DPW would have had to pay, or send home unpaid, the people scheduled to work that ship. And likely the largest loss would have been the inability to load and unload the ship. My conservative guesstimate on that would be $1500 lost per container not loaded or unloaded. There might even be penalties for not loading and unloading from the ship owners. They have to deal with those containers somehow. Even DPW getting fully reimbursed for their loss is really an unsatisfactory solution. They have not invested hundreds of millions of dollars just to get grudgingly paid for work lost.

As DPW loses, NBSR loses, and CPKC, etc. loses. The rippples are far and wide.

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

From a political perspective, the impacts are fascinating. If Higgs can kill it, using means regular or exotic, it bodes well for his survival. If Long shrugs and references a secret lease while saying his hands are tied, it cripples his future provincial plans.

Higgs will have brand new candidates running three ridings directly or indirectly impacted by the AIM fire (replacing the retiring/fired Anderson Mason, Shepherd, and Holder) and Dunn, the sole possibly-returning candidate in the immediate area, is in a perpetual tossup seat. So he would be wise to pull out all the stops to kill it. Gives him some practical environmental credibility to compare and contrast with carbon tax voodoo economics.

Federally, Wayne Long has to get something done or his earned reputation as someone who gets things done in Ottawa will be damaged. His telegraphed plan to bring NB Liberals back to relevance with him at the helm will become questionable. If the feds don't act this moves the new Saint John-Kennebecasis riding firmly out of reach for whoever runs after him as a Liberal, too. Does Hickey punt again?

Municipally, it seems like most of council understand they're powerless to directly change anything. Of course, Harris is bloviating about removing Saint John's appointed member from the Port's board and filing a vague class-action lawsuit. Does he not understand the Port is on our side from the stevedores to the CEO on this matter? I mean, he probably doesn't. But what he and Killen clearly want is to be Green nominees provincially, so virtue signaling it is. No idea what Radwan's game is here.

https://www.country94.ca/2023/09/19/...il-to-premier/

Interesting. Definitely a lot of moving parts. Only missing piece so far is an official response from AIM. Even AIM employees that come out in support of the facility after each death are quiet on social media. Probably see the writing on the wall.

[Ottawa]

Originally Posted by Ottawa

Here's another pic I found today that may indicate some rail upgrades being done. The asphalt at the NBSR/Eagle Rock Road, Welsford crossing has been replaced just at the rail crossing. Track upgrades need to be done eventually and NBSR is likely to do necessary upgrades if this level of reconstruction is being done.

It would be interesting to know if anything else has been done (rail replacement, ballast or tie replacement, etc.) other than just the asphalt replacement on the road. It might indicate other upgrades are being done elsewhere also.


Pic courtesy of https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/d...b_cameras.html

Closing the loop on this. Here's a video that shows just south of this location. JDI/NBSR had prefabbed a long section of 115lb rail (with ties) that they would have been able to move into the crossing fairly quickly. That would have been a cool operation to watch.

Currently NBSR is upgrading along the mainline to 115lb sectional rail. That's not continuous rail but it is the recommended rail for the loads running today. It will need to be upgraded in the future as port traffic increases and CSX comes online, etc.. CSX is saving themselves a step in the future and is upgrading everything today to 136lb CWR.

The upgrades done at the crossing here will make it easier to upgrade in future.

The section of prefab track is only visible at the end of the video so the link is set to an appropriate time:

https://youtu.be/kCOCmqCCfgc?si=r32R6kAxbrhKY2nr&t=223

[adamuptownsj]

Industry rag article on investment in, and capacity at, the port: https://www.drycargomag.com/major-in...ort-saint-john

[cdnguys]

A RoRo is on sched for Oct 21

[CharlotteCountyLogan]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

A RoRo is on sched for Oct 21

It's a ship belonging to the national shipping company of the Saudi Arabia government. It's been a number of years since one of those ships have docked in SJ. Usually they load military vehicles but who knows what they will load this time.

[FromMaine]

Here's the vessel schedule. CPKC Had mentioned some automobile exports coming to the Port at some point-- perhaps this is the first shipment?

https://www.protos.ca/wp-content/upl...3/09/BAHRI.pdf

[Ottawa]

Thanks to https://youtu.be/XhS7e-xB8VE?si=vyyDfJkuXjuQjc_v&t=109

This video shot on Aug. 10 shows a train leaving the port and headed to Bayshore yard. In the top left you can see brand new track laid to extend multiple sidings in the Bayshore Yard.

The new track ends just before crossing City Line where they've placed a switch. The switch placement is useless until they extend the rail past City Line, so they are either going to double the existing track to the port, or they will add another switch after crossing City Line to connect and narrow down to a single track. I expect they will double it to the port.

This was six weeks ago. There is likely some advancement since this video was taken.

This added configuration is not yet reflected on any maps.

Best rail map for Canada - https://rac.jmaponline.net/canadianrailatlas/

Best rail map for US - https://fragis.fra.dot.gov/GISFRASafety/