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November 28, 1993 68 pages Office, Editorial 985-2131 “Display Advertising 980-0511 Classifieds 986-6222. Distribution 986-1337 25¢

Cates forced to lay off
workers for first time
in co’s 104-year history

A TUG-of-war between two rival North Vancouver tugboat
companies, coupled with a slump in the worldwide ship-
ping industry, has forced one of the companies to lay off
employees for the first time in its 104-year history.

At the same time, business is ~
booming for the other North By Surj Rattan
Vancouver tug company, which News Reporter
has hired more staff as a result of

1 the local competition.

C.H. Cates and Sons Ltd., He added that the volume of
which has been based at the foot freighters calling on the Port of
of Lonsdale Avenue in North Vancouver this year was down by
Vancouver City since 1889, has about 16%.
held a monopoly on docking Johnston said the situation is
freighters and cruise ships in not likely to improve in the near
Burrard Inlet between the Lions future.

Gate Bridge and the Second Nar- ‘*It (Seaspan’s competition)
rows Bridge. would be a minor impact if this

But on Sept. 15, Seaspan inter- was 1992. The more devastating
national Ltd., located at the foot news is from the shipping agents,
of Pemberton Avenue, decided to who say things will not improve
go toe-to-tce with Cates and for at least the next four
cempete for the ship-docking - months,” said Johnston.
contracts in Burrard Inlet. Asked if he anticipates further

Seaspan, which operates a fleet layoffs at Cates, Johnston replied:
of 45 tugs, as well as trainships ‘I hope not. Golly,.J hope not. I
and speciai-purpose barges, hope the bleeding has stopped.”
operates mainly along the west He added that Cates’ workforce
coast of North America. is now down to 90. The total in-

But this year it built two cludes workers at its subsidiary

i heavy-duty tugs to compete company, Port. Moody-based
against Cates for the Burrard Inlet Seaforth Towing and Salvage Ltd,
ship-docking contracts. which operates three tugboats in

Cates president and general Burrard Inlet east of the Second

#@ manager Claire Johnston said on Narrows Bridge.

$ Thursday that his company has Meanwhile, Seaspan said it has
been forced to lay off 25 people hired more people as a result of
during the last two months. entering the ship-docking business

He admits that Seaspan has hurt in Burrard Inlet.

Cates’ business. John Barker, Seaspan’s vice-

“They (Seaspan) only have two president of marketing, said his
tugs, but they’ve made an impact, company has been aggressively
but not a devastating impact. going after ship-berthing contracts

“Last year was probably one of as ships come into Burrard Inlet.
the best years we’ve had in our As a resuit, said Barker,
history. But 1993 is probably one Seaspan has reassigned 10 people
of the worst years we’ve had in to work on its new ship-berthing
our history. tugs.

“The shipping industry worid- in turn, the company has hired
wide is down considerably, in- people to fill the vacancies left by
cluding the Port of Vancouver,”’
said Johnston. See Cates page 8

index
HB Business ......0....4. BB Lifestyles..........
Cocktails & Caviar .....49 News of the Weird...
WComics ...............50 WTravel............
NEWS photo Terry Peters M Crossword.............64 HH Vintage Years .:.....
Po . ' a Horoscopes............50 % What's Going On
A DEPRESSED shipping industry has slowed C.H. Cates and Sons’ Burrard Inlet Weather

ship-berthing business. The local tug company has consequently laid off 25 peo-
ple during the last two months. But business is booming for Seaspan Interna- Monday and Tuesday, periods of rain, high 6"C, low 2°C.

i er North Vancouver tug company.
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