The Oil Drum: Canada

Canada, U.S. on course for LNG collision

The Conservative government is refusing to allow huge liquefied natural-gas tankers to go through Canadian waters off New Brunswick to two proposed gas terminals in Maine because of worries of catastrophic accidents in the treacherously narrow passage.

Michael Wilson, the Canadian ambassador to the United States, said in a letter to U.S. energy regulators this week that Ottawa will refuse to allow the large tankers to go through the Canadian- controlled Head Harbour Passage to get to Maine ports....

....The latest cross-border battle will likely end up in an international court. While Canada claims it has exclusive jurisdiction over the Head Harbour Passage, the view of the U.S. government is that the waters are territorial and, under the United Nations' Law of the Sea Treaty, a country cannot deny foreign ships from passing through.