The Canadian coastal zone comprises an extensive network of waterways, terminals and ports that play a critical role in both domestic and international commerce. Concern for preservation of the marine environment and improved vessel safety standards within Canadian waters has led to initiatives to prevent environmental disasters and reduce maritime casualties. Coastal zone management is a process in which a coordinated strategy is developed to consider the multiple uses and impacts of coastal areas. Since most pertinent decisions are location-sensitive, one important consideration in coastal zone management involves maritime traffic analysis.

Quantitative assessments have been made on many relevant factors, including:

• Traffic density: by type and time of year
• Traffic mix: many areas have a broad range of users, such as shipping, fishing and recreational traffic
• Identification of hot spots: hot spots areas are concentrations of incidents within a limited geographical' area that appear over time.
• Facilities: relationships between coastal facilities and traffic type.