The Sustaining Operations Proposal (SOP) will require the amendment of Terms and Conditions 179(a) and 179(b) in Project Certificate 005 to continue Northern transportation activity levels similar to those that have been approved under Project Certificate No. 005 since 2018. The SOP contains no proposed changes to current operations with respect to ore extraction, handling, stockpiling, and supporting activities. Continuation of these activities will support sustaining operations, employment and delivery of benefits to communities on North Baffin Island, as well as the ability to pursue investment in the south railway and Steensby Port. To be clear, there would not be overlap between the continued 6 Mtpa activity levels included in the SOP and the operation of the South Rail and Steensby Port.To ensure a stable supply of iron ore to customers while remaining within the scope of the environmental assessment, Baffinland is requesting that the Project Certificate be amended to allow the continued transportation of up to 6 Mtpa of iron ore by truck between the Mine Site and Milne Port, and the ability to ship a nominal rate of 6 Mtpa and the ability to also ship any additional ore that remained on the Port ore pad as of October 31 in the previous year. Approving this request would permit Baffinland to account for year over year variability in its shipping operation while remaining within the boundaries of the assessment. Baffinland is making a request for the ability to ship ore that was trucked to Milne Port in accordance with previous and proposed 6 Mtpa trucking limits, but was not able to be shipped out in full the previous year due to unexpected circumstances. An example of this occurred in October 2022, when large volumes of early sea ice in Milne Inlet meant that Baffinland had to leave ore on the pads at Milne Port that otherwise would have been shipped out that year. It typically requires between 80-84 ore carriers to transport 6Mt, depending on the start and end of the season (variability due to commitment to not break ice to commence the season and weather) and the number and size of Ice Class ships available. Baffinland may secure larger Ice Class ships that could be used to lower the overall number of ship transits in any given season or to ship more than 6Mt in years following a stranding like what occurred in 2022.Baffinland is requesting approval to continue the SOP activities within the Northern Transportation Corridor in 2023 and 2024. The SOP is based almost entirely on information that has been presented to NIRB and provides relevant updates on Terms and Conditions and Commitments made through the PIP Renewal. It is our hope that this approach reduces the regulatory burden for participants, while providing increased certainty for continuing up to 6 Mtpa Northern Transportation activity at the Mary River Project for the near term.