Nitrox on BC Ferries

[wedivebc]

I was talking to a diver from Vancouver recently who told me his group were prevented from boarding BC Ferries because they were tranporting a prohibited item, NITROX! I couldn't believe my ears so I placed a couple of calls and was informed enriched air or nitrox is indeed a prohibited item on BC Ferries. This policy has been in place since 2006 and has been recently emphasised by a safety bulletin published by BCFC. I called Transport Canada and the person I spoke to there did verify that yes enriched air came under a different UN number than compressed air but since both compressed air and oxygen are allowed by BCFC he could not see why nitrox would be banned. He is going to contact them for clarification and promised to get back to me. In the mean time if you are declaring your scuba tanks when traveling on the ferry system (and you should) you should know:
UN# 1002 compressed air is permitted
UN# 1072 compressed oxygen is permitted
UN# 3156 enriched air nitrox is not permitted

I suggest anyone using this means of transport remove those big bumper sticker nitrox bands and either declare your tanks as compressed air or oxygen if you feel the mixture is high enough to warrant it.
The Transport Canada rep I spoke with was not aware of any accidents regarding nitrox and did not see the problem. He is the senior marine inspector and has the authority to get the policy changed and has promised to look into ammending the ruling.
I will keep you posted.

 

[JeffG]

In the mean time if you are declaring your scuba tanks when traveling on the ferry system (and you should)

I'll get right on that.

are you trying to tell me that I shouldn't use my blanket to cover my tanks?

 

[r2t]

What are the consequences if you don't declare your tanks? How do you go about claming your tanks?

Thanks
Ron L.

 

[nadwidny]

I was talking to a diver from Vancouver recently who told me his group were prevented from boarding BC Ferries because they were tranporting a prohibited item, NITROX! I couldn't believe my ears so I placed a couple of calls and was informed enriched air or nitrox is indeed a prohibited item on BC Ferries. This policy has been in place since 2006 and has been recently emphasised by a safety bulletin published by BCFC. I called Transport Canada and the person I spoke to there did verify that yes enriched air came under a different UN number than compressed air but since both compressed air and oxygen are allowed by BCFC he could not see why nitrox would be banned. He is going to contact them for clarification and promised to get back to me. In the mean time if you are declaring your scuba tanks when traveling on the ferry system (and you should) you should know:
UN# 1002 compressed air is permitted
UN# 1072 compressed oxygen is permitted
UN# 3156 enriched air nitrox is not permitted

I suggest anyone using this means of transport remove those big bumper sticker nitrox bands and either declare your tanks as compressed air or oxygen if you feel the mixture is high enough to warrant it.
The Transport Canada rep I spoke with was not aware of any accidents regarding nitrox and did not see the problem. He is the senior marine inspector and has the authority to get the policy changed and has promised to look into ammending the ruling.
I will keep you posted.

In 2001 a buddy of mine was trying to get to Victoria and had some tanks with the nitrox bumper stickers on them. He had to miss a sailing while BC ferries figured out what to do.

 

[nadwidny]

I'll get right on that.

No kidding. I just love to volunteer to subject myself for hours of bureaucratic BS.

are you trying to tell me that I shouldn't use my blanket to cover my tanks?

Tanks? What tanks? No tanks back there...

 

[wedivebc]

What are the consequences if you don't declare your tanks? How do you go about claming your tanks?

Thanks
Ron L.

When you get your ticket you ask for a form where you declare your particular dangerous cargo. According to BC Ferries it is an offence under Canadian law not to declare it.
Personally if I were planning on breaking the law I would not advertise it in a public forum. (Like never leave death threats on an answering machine):no

 

[r2t]

I know they have been working on plans for increased security for the terminals. Surely they will have it in place for the olympics. The last thing I would want is to have a tripped booked and miss it because I didn't declare my tanks.
Ron L.

 

[Darnold9999]

Oxygen is OK but Nitrox isn't????

maybe somebody thought that you could mix nitrox with the BC ferry jello and get nitroglycerine

 

[nadwidny]

When you get your ticket you ask for a form where you declare your particular dangerous cargo. According to BC Ferries it is an offence under Canadian law not to declare it.
Personally if I were planning on breaking the law I would not advertise it in a public forum. (Like never leave death threats on an answering machine):no

If it were that big of a deal BC Ferries would make more of an effort to police it other than the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy they have now.

 

[wedivebc]

If it were that big of a deal BC Ferries would make more of an effort to police it other than the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy they have now.

Apparently they are unaware of how much "smuggling" actually goes on. The BC Ferry rep I just spoke with said they had a big "bust" recently on the Sunshine Coast ferry and that was why the recent crackdown.
I think the don't ask don't tell is fine. Remove the bumper stickers and call it air. I saw one guy with a big "CAUTION Oxygen mixure. No Smoking" stuck to the back of his doubles, sheesh
BC ferries and Transport Canada both seem willing to look into this policy and make changes. In the mean time, don't mention the N word