A brand new period in Canadian shipbuilding is underway as Seaspan Shipyards has been awarded the contract to construct one of many Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) next-generation heavy polar icebreakers. This landmark challenge, a part of the Nationwide Shipbuilding Technique (NSS), will reinforce Canada’s Arctic sovereignty, financial growth, and scientific analysis capabilities whereas marking a historic revival of home polar shipbuilding.
“Right now’s contract signing is the following step in our journey of fulfilling the imaginative and prescient of the Nationwide Shipbuilding Technique, which is to construct ships for Canada, in Canada, by Canadians,” stated John McCarthy, CEO of Seaspan Shipyards. “The NSS is demonstrating {that a} made-in-Canada strategy is just not solely attainable, but in addition crucial to our safety and sovereignty.”
The heavy polar icebreaker, to be constructed totally at Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards, will likely be among the many world’s most superior icebreaking vessels. As one in every of only some Polar Class 2 ships in operation globally, it should enable the CCG to function self-sufficiently year-round within the excessive Arctic, even in excessive situations as little as -50°C.
“The polar icebreaker to be constructed by Vancouver Shipyards will be capable of function within the Arctic year-round,” stated The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard. “This may additional bolster our potential to ship essential providers to Northern communities and help Canadian sovereignty within the Arctic.”
With useful design accomplished in 2024, the challenge will transfer into building in April 2025, partaking greater than 1,000 Canadian shipbuilders and supporting greater than 800 corporations throughout the nation.
“This superior vessel is not going to solely guarantee secure and environment friendly navigation in our polar areas,” stated The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Power and Pure Sources, “but in addition help the sustainable growth of our pure sources. By enhancing our icebreaking capabilities, we’re opening new alternatives for financial development, scientific analysis, and environmental stewardship.”
The Seaspan-built icebreaker would be the seventh vessel the corporate has designed and constructed underneath the NSS, additional cementing Canada’s position as a pacesetter in trendy shipbuilding. The vessel can even be the fifth Polar Class ship within the CCG’s rising fleet and one in every of as much as 21 icebreaking vessels Seaspan is establishing.
The awarding of this contract represents a significant milestone in revitalizing Canada’s shipbuilding business whereas reinforcing Arctic safety. The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Companies and Procurement, famous the broader implications: “This state-of-the-art vessel is not going to solely strengthen our icebreaking fleet, however can even help crucial scientific analysis, environmental safety efforts, and guarantee nationwide safety within the Arctic.”
Icebreaker Reality Field
The polar icebreaker will likely be 158 metres lengthy and 28 metres vast, with a design displacement of 26,036t.Highlights of key design options, embrace:IACS Polar Class 2 (PC2) Heavy IcebreakerMore than 40MW of put in powerIce-classed azimuthing propulsion systemComplex, multi-role mission capabilityScientific LaboratoriesMoon Pool (to permit for secure deployment of kit from throughout the ship)Helicopter flight deck and HangarVehicle Storage and future Remotely Piloted Plane System (RPAS) capabilitySeaspan has already gained important expertise designing and constructing Polar Class vessels together with three offshore fisheries science vessels which at the moment are in service with the CCG; an offshore oceanographic science vessel that will likely be delivered to the CCG within the coming months; and a category of up sixteen multi-purpose icebreaking vessels (additionally Polar Class) that’s at the moment in Building Engineering.Seaspan is likely one of the most trendy shipyards in North America, following its privately funded $200M+ shipyard modernization, growth of a talented workforce and state-of-the-art, purpose-built infrastructure to ship massive, advanced vessels.Beneath the NSS, Seaspan has change into a significant financial and job creation engine. Based on an financial evaluation performed by Deloitte, Seaspan has contributed $5.7 billion to Canada’s GDP between 2012-2023, whereas additionally creating or sustaining greater than 7,000 jobs yearly.Seaspan’s NSS supply-chain has now grown to ~800 Canadian corporations from coast-to-coast, with greater than half being SMEs.
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