Canadian Shipbuilding News

Canada's understaffed and resource-stretched navy is in "a critical state" and might not be able to carry out its basic duties next year, the top admiral said in a YouTube video released this week.The comments by Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee are an unusually blunt expression of unhappiness from the military over the state of the armed forces. Canada only spends about 1.3% of its annual gross domestic product on defense, much less than the North Atlantic Treaty Organization target of 2%.In the video…

Canadian shipbuilding group Davie announced it has finalized its acquisition of Finland’s Helsinki Shipyard Oy, which has struggled to gain new business due to Western sanctions against Russia.The deal has been nearly a year in the making, starting from December 2022. By March 2023, Davie exercised an exclusive option to purchase the assets of Helsinki Shipyard. In April a business purchase agreement was signed, and on July 4 Davie secured a new 50-year land lease from the city of Helsinki.Financial terms of agreement were not disclosed…

Canadian shipbuilding and ship repair company Seaspan Shipyards announced on Tuesday that John McCarthy has been named CEO, effective immediately.A member of Seaspan Shipyards' senior leadership team since 2018, McCarthy succeeds Mark Lamarre, who assumes a new role as president and CEO of The Washington Companies, following the planned retirement of previous president and CEO, Larry Simkins.McCarthy brings more than 36 years of experience in shipbuilding, repair and overhaul and as a senior leader at American and International shipyards.

North Vancouver, B.C. shipbuilder Seaspan Shipyards on Tuesday announced it has launched a new facility to develop, integrate, test and demonstrate new digital twin capabilities in an effort to transform how ships are built, constructed and maintained.Modern shipbuilding and through-life support are rapidly evolving with integrated use of digital technology and digital twins. Effective use of digital information is critical for shipbuilders and ship owners/operators and forms the foundation for connected products and services that can result in more efficient…

Halifax Shipyard has commenced initial builder’s sea trials for Canada’s lead Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS), the future HMCS Harry DeWolf.The lead AOPS departed Halifax Shipyard at 0945 and, using its diesel-electric engines, moved to the Bedford Basin to start initial builder’s sea trails associated with anchor handling, the integrated bridge and navigation system (IBNS), fin stabilizers, Multi-Role Rescue Boat (MRRB) launch and recovery, and communication systems.Initial builder’s sea trials will continue over the next few weeks and will be followed by formal sea trials and acceptance by the Royal Canadian Navy. This will span into the first quarter of 2020.At 103 meters and 6…

The Royal Canadian Navy’s second Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS), the future HMCS Margaret Brooke, was launched yesterday, Nov. 10, 2019, at Halifax Shipyard.The launch of the second of six AOPS for the Royal Canadian Navy, marks a significant milestone for Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) and the revitalization of the Royal Canadian Navy’s combatant fleet.The 103-metre future HMCS Margaret Brooke transitioned from Halifax Shipyard’s land level facility to a submersible barge on Nov. 8, 2019 and launched in the Bedford Basin today.The ship is now pier side at Halifax Shipyard where work continues to prepare the ship for sea trials and handover to the Royal Canadian Navy late next year.The future HMCS Margaret Brooke joins Canada’s lead AOPS…

Irving Shipbuilding Inc. said it has made a multimillion dollar investment to support marine innovation and commercialization in Nova Scotia and across Canada. The shipbuilder is investing $4.52 million in the newly established Centre for Ocean Ventures and Entrepreneurship (COVE), an ocean innovation centre to be located on the waterfront in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The investment over the next five years represents the largest private sector contribution COVE has received to date. At COVE, ocean science research, start-ups, R&D-intensive companies, industry and Nova Scotia post-secondary institutions will work together to create a cluster of marine innovation and commercialization, and become global leaders.

Canadian shipbuilder and industrial fabricator Davie Shipbuilding has awarded ALMACO Group the contract for the delivery of the superstructure of Project Resolve, a Navy AOR vessel, the first project carried out as part of ALMACO and Davie’s cooperation and technology transfer. The vessel’s superstructure will be delivered by ALMACO as a single structure to be integrated to the hull at the Davie shipyard. ALMACO’s scope of work includes the full EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contract for the living quarter superstructure including cabins…

Ship Constructor, Military pose some challenges. Madrid’s Sener Ingeniería y Sistemas S.A. (Sener) is hoping to regain a foothold via its FORAN CAD/CAM software in the North American market, and to use that opening to crack the Big Six military shipyards, landing at least one lucrative long-term contract. But first, it’s going to have get past its chief competition on these shores, Vancouver-based SSI’s ShipConstructor software, CATIA from Dassault Systèmes of France, and Nupas-Cadmatic, jointly owned by Numeriek Centrum Groningen B.V. of the Netherlands and Cadmatic Oy of Finland.

As marine experts gather for the Ocean’s 14 conference in St. John’s Newfoundland, the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) announced a program aimed at finding economical and viable business based technological solutions to improve the safety and performance of marine vessels such as cargo ships and fuel tankers. Building on NRC’s extensive experience in the commercial and military markets as well as access to world-class facilities, the Marine Vehicles program will focus on technologies and processes for reducing operating costs of vessels, contributing to safe Arctic and offshore oil and gas operations. The end result is to support a sustainable and competitive shipbuilding industry in Canada for military vessels, marine commercial transportation and offshore resource industries.

Government of Canada Awards Babcock Canada Inc. a $6.5 Million Contract for Refit Work on the CCGS Louis S. Parliamentary Secretary Bernard Trottier, on behalf of the Honorable Diane Finley, Minister of Public Works and Government Services, and the Honorable Steven Blaney, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, on behalf of the Honorable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, today announced that the Government of Canada has awarded a $6.5 million contract to Babcock Canada Inc. for critical refit work for Canadian Coast Guard ship CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent.

The Canadian government has announced the award of two contracts totaling $1.1M to Northern Transportation Company Limited for Vessel Life Extension refit work to Canadian Coast Guard ships 'CCGS Dumit' and 'CCGS Eckaloo'. These two vessels, based in Hay River, provide Aid to Navigation services on the Mackenzie River. Vessel condition surveys are being conducted on the CCGS Dumit and CCGS Eckaloo in advance of the vessel life extension work which will take place in multiple phases beginning in October 2014.

Seaspan Marine entered into a technology support agreement with STX Offshore and Shipbuilding Company Ltd. This partnership will optimize Vancouver Shipyard’s planned facilities upgrades for the Federal Government’s recently awarded $8 billion Non-Combat National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS) program. STX is one of the leading shipbuilders in the world and currently produces approximately 60 vessels per year with annual steel throughput over 700,000 tonnes. STX plans to dispatch a technical staff to Vancouver Shipyards to review facility upgrades and provide recommendations for optimizing shipbuilding efficiency. “This partnership…

North Vancouver, BC - Seaspan Shipyards announced that the Canadian Coast Guard has elected to spend $5.2 billion for the construction of additional ships under the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS) program, along with other capital expenditures, under last week’s Federal Budget. Under the original NSPS award, from October 19, 2011, Vancouver Shipyards has been chosen to build Canada’s Non-Combat vessels. Vancouver Shipyards will be working closely with the Canadian Coast Guard to determine the timing and sequence of the additional vessels announced last week. “We are extremely excited about last week’s announcement and are looking forward to fulfilling our commitment of providing the best quality ships to the Government of Canada…

Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd. (VSY), part of the Washington Marine Group Shipyards Division, has cleared the first hurdle in the government selection process to be one of two shipyards to build the country’s future Naval and Coast Guard fleet. The Federal Government’s National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS) program is worth approximately $35b to the Canadian shipbuilding industry and represents a solid investment in building replacement ships for the Canadian Navy and Coast Guard. An award of this nature would be significant for the West Coast shipbuilding industry, creating predictable work for a period of over 30 years. It would also allow further investment in the people, processes and equipment needed to revitalize the shipbuilding industry in British Columbia (BC).

According to a report from The Globe and Mail, Stephen Harper is poised to kick off the greatest round of government shipbuilding in Canada since the Second World War. Pegged at $35b, the sums involved easily dwarf the funds committed for the Conservatives' controversial plan to buy $9b worth of F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin. The report said this will ultimately pit three regions of Canada against each other and force a difficult choice upon Harper. He'll have to decide which region to leave out in an election year: the East, the West or Quebec. (Source: The Globe and Mail)

According to a report from The Daily News, Nanaimo is one step closer to sharing in Ottawa's $35b shipbuilding program, now that the province has enthusiastically endorsed the efforts by a number of B.C. shipyards to attain the contracts.   Source: The Daily News

According to a report from UPI.com, the Canadian government is pressuring the nation's shipbuilding companies to waive their rights to consult lobbyists in pursuit of the $35b national shipbuilding procurement strategy.   Source: UPI.com

Alion Part of Winning Team Awarded $8 Billion Canadian Shipbuilding Contract. Technology Solutions Firm to Support Design and Engineering for Non-combat Vessels. Alion Science and Technology, an employee-owned engineering, R&D and operational solutions firm, is part of the team awarded an $8 Billion contract to construct non-combat-oriented vessels under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS). Working with team lead Seaspan Marine Corp.(www.seaspan.com), Alion will provide ship design and engineering through its wholly owned subsidiary, Alion Canada of Ottawa, Ontario. Under the contract, the team will design and construct vessels that address Canada's long-range plans for non-combatant vessels.

STX Canada Marine would like to congratulate Seaspan Vancouver Shipyards on the award of the contract for the Canadian National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS) for non-combat vessels. As a First Tier partner, STX Canada Marine (STXM) is proud to have supported the Seaspan Team in the development of the NSPS proposal and looks forward to a long-term relationship with them and being a part of the revitalization of Canadian shipbuilding on the West Coast. Under the contract…

Standardization on a common technology platform is a key component in creating a sustainable Canadian shipbuilding industry according to a submission to the Federal Government from ShipConstructor Software Inc. (SSI). To augment the work available under the Canadian Government’s proposed 30-year procurement plan and to facilitate sustainability into the future, domestic shipbuilders will most likely also have to export to the global commercial market. To effectively compete, this will require Canadian shipbuilders implement worldwide best practices and have access to a trained workforce.

Patrick Roberts, Director of Operations for ShipConstructor USA, has been re-elected Vice Chairman of the Business Process Technologies Panel for the United States National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP). The upcoming year will be Roberts’ second year in the role of Vice Chairman. The NSRP Business Process Technologies Panel advises the NSRP Executive Control Board on research projects involving technology to improve procedures and practices within the shipbuilding industry.

According to a May 16 report from the Vancouver Sun, the Harper government is expected to release its long-term shipbuilding strategy in the coming weeks, creating two national centers to handle billions of dollars worth of contracts. The strategy could spark a high-stakes game pitting West Coast firms against East Coast companies in a winner-take-all contest. Vancouver-based Washington Marine Group and J.D. Irving on the East Coast will be asked to submit proposals to become the “center of excellence” for building combat ships such as the Arctic patrol vessels and the fleet of vessels that will eventually replace the navy’s Halifax-class frigates. Victoria Shipyards is owned by Washington Marine Group, as are Vancouver Drydock and Vancouver Shipyards.