The Amwaal is celebrated as newest patrol vessel joins the Port of Prince Rupert's fleet

The Amwaal the newest patrol vessel for the Port of Prince Rupert
was introduced into service with a blessing ceremony on Wednesday
(photo port of Prince Rupert)

A new vessel has taken to patrolling the waters of Prince Rupert Harbour, with the Port of Prince Rupert introducing the Amwaal to their fleet on Wednesday with a Vessel blessing ceremony.

The Amwaal, which is a derivative of the Sm'algyax word Prosperity, features industry-leading equipment including navigation, communications, surveillance, marine fire fighting and high-speed jet-drive maneuverability, all of which will serve to greatly enhance PRPA’s marine safety capabilities.

Among some of the duties assigned to the vessel and her crew will be to provide access to outer anchorages and local communities, the Amwaal will also provide for a stable platform for PRPA’s in-house environmental monitoring programs and strengthened search and rescue support capability via onboard direction-finding equipment.

Wednesday's blessing ceremony was conducted in the Ts'mysen tradition by Sm'oooygit Gitxoon (Hereditary Chief Alex Campbell) and Sm'ooygit Niist'ooyx (Herediary Chief Clarence Nelson). The name Amwaal was chosen after consultations with Ts'msyen hereditary leaders and the Port's Board of Directors.

“The Lax Kw’alaams Hereditary Chiefs’ Council is pleased that the Prince Rupert Port Authority is honouring our culture through not only a traditional Ts’msyen vessel blessing, but also by choosing to name the vessel AMWAAL. We share the value of protecting our waters with the Prince Rupert Port Authority and are impressed with the marine safety enhancements the vessel brings to the North Coast,” -- Sm’ooygit Gitxoon (Hereditary Chief Alex Campbell) of the Lax Kw’alaams Hereditary Chiefs’ Council.

The Amwaal was blessed by Hereditary Chiefs on Wednesday (photo port of Prince Rupert)

The addition of the AMWAAL enhances the Prince Rupert Port Authority’s marine safety presence and allows staff to continue making a safe port even safer, with the vessel joining the existing fleet with the Port's President and CEO Shaun Stevenson making note of the contribution the new vessel will make towards their commitment of marine safety.

“We are proud to welcome the AMWAAL to our fleet, especially in a way that honours maritime tradition on the North Coast. Marine safety is a top priority of the Prince Rupert Port Authority and we are deeply committed to ensuring that vessels transiting our waters do so in a safe and sustainable manner. As the Port of Prince Rupert continues to grow, investments in marine safety enhancements such as the addition of the AMWAAL contribute to leading edge marine safety resources at the Prince Rupert gateway.”

The Amwaal, joins the Charles Hays and one other small work boat as part of the Port's fleet of safety related vessels on patrol.

You can review some of that commitment to safety from the Port's website.

For more items of note related to the Port of Prince Rupert see our archive page here.