Marine Road RailAltera Infrastructure
Maran Shuttle Tankers
- New owner of the Altera Infrastructure shuttle fleet
- Altera recently sold their operations to Maran Shuttle Tankers (MST), which is owned by the massive Greek shipping company Angelicousssis Group (over 158 ships).
MST is not known for abusing FOC as much as some other international operators. However, most Maran vessels operate under International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) approved collective bargaining agreements. However, typically through the Greek seafarers’ union (PNO).
Through this, Maran/AG has had issues as an FOC in Canada.
MST is also active in the Kitimat LNG project.
Flags of Convenience
Some background on the issue with FFAW and Maran (used to be Altera Infrastructure)
Flags of Convenience: inappropriately foreign-flagged vessels. Vessels operating in Canadian waters over the medium to long-term avoiding local marine labour laws (cabotage) and collective agreement coverage.
Temporary licenses are provided to companies operating in Canada allowing foreign-flagged vessels to operate.
Free trade deals/agreement (like CETA) are part of the problem “allowing” these practices.
The main issues are clear: wage suppression, health and safety issues, vessel regulation, and taxes.
Employers use the notion of “worker shortages” to promote the use of foreign flagged vessels or the use of temporary foreign workers in the place of domestic workforce. Usually to get out from under collective agreements or to raise wages and increase training investment to meet the labour challenges.
The victory of the FFAW, working/bargaining with the government and employer allowed one of the incorrectly flagged vessel Maran Thule to start the process of making it Canadian flagged.
<https://maranshuttletankers.com/fleet/maran-thule/>
Main points:
- not possible without the right to strike and free collective bargaining
- shows the power of bargained solutions to a problem that we face across the sector
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Unifor should build on this victory through campaign with the Seafarers’ union.
- Joint press releases declaring this instance a good example
- Highlight the continued issue of inappropriately flagged (FOC) vessels operating in Canadian waters to avoid Canadian law
- outline joint actions with Seafarers to target FOC vessels undermining Canadian labour
- expand demands for Marine Industrial Strategy linking training with jobs
- lobby for the Canadian Transportation Agency to apply a strict definition of “suitable” when FOC is requested and stop the regulatory enforcement of “predictability” under the red tape reduction mandate.
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Basics
- Name: Altera Infrastructure Group Ltd.
- Headquarters: Scotland, UK
- Altera was previously named Teekay Offshore.
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AIG Ltd owns
- Altera Infrastructure L.P.
- Altera (Atlantic) Management ULP (Unifor's employer)
- Several other similar subsidaries including contract long-distance, rough seas tow boats.
- The name changes was after Brookfield purchased them and a rebrand away from "oil" and towards "sustainability".
- Altera Infrastructure L.P. emerged from Bankruptcy protection this January of 2023.
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Altera was taken private by Brookfield Business Partners in May, 2019.
- Brookfield is a Toronto-based private equity company.
- Brookfield provided debtor in possession coverage for the bankruptcy and is its equity sposor.
- Brookfield has a 99% voting interest and a 43% economic interest in Altera Infrastructure L.P. United States.
- Brookfield does not list labour union disruption in their filings as a major source of risk. Instead, it is winning contract bids across all parts of the operation that affect profitability.
Unifor members
The strike notice identifies Unifor members who operate "tugs".
However, our understanding is that the contract covers deck workers (boatswain and deck hands) and two cook positions.
Altera owns three large shuttle tankers that transport oil between the off-shore platforms and the harbour.
Altera has predicted rising rates because of under-supply of Shuttle Tankers starting in 2029, but constant work until then of current supply. They also have 100% of the market here for operations.
