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Irving Shipbuilding Inc News

11 Dec 2023

Canada’s Fifth Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship Launched

(Photo: Irving Shipbuilding)

The Royal Canadian Navy’s fifth Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS), the future HMCS Frédérick Rolette, was launched December 9, 2023, at Irving Shipbuilding's Halifax Shipyard.A full two months ahead of schedule, the 103-metre future HMCS Frédérick Rolette transitioned from Halifax Shipyard’s land level facility to a submersible barge on December 8 and launched in the Bedford Basin. The ship is now pier side at Halifax Shipyard where work continues in preparation for sea trials…

08 Aug 2023

Irving Cuts Steel for AOPS 7, the First Vessel for the Canadian Coast Guard

(Photo: Irving Shipbuilding)

Canada's Irving Shipbuilding on Tuesday cut steel for the seventh Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS), the first of two for the Canadian Coast Guard’s fleet. Celebrated at the Halifax Shipyard, the steel cutting of AOPS 7 marks the official start of construction on the vessel.The Canadian Coast Guard’s AOPS will be tasked with a wide range of missions. Both ships will operate as the Canadian Coast Guard’s primary platform with increased capabilities to support fisheries enforcement on Canada’s east coast…

15 Aug 2022

Irving Cuts Steel for Canada's Sixth and Final Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship

(Photo: Irving Shipbuilding)

Irving Shipbuilding Inc. announced it has cut first steel for the future HMCS Robert Hampton Gray, marking the official start of production for Canada’s sixth and Final Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) for the Royal Canadian Navy built under the National Shipbuilding Strategy.Construction of Canada’s future combat fleet begins at Irving Shipbuilding’s Marine Fabricators facility in Dartmouth, N.S. The resulting 70,000 pieces are fabricated in a strategic sequence to meet…

07 Jul 2022

Dirk Lesko Named President of Irving Shipbuilding

Dirk Lesko (Photo: Irving Shipbuilding)

Dirk Lesko will assume the role of President of Irving Shipbuilding Inc., effective September 1, 2022, the Canadian shipbuilder announced.Ross Langley, Vice Chairman of Irving Shipbuilding, will continue as interim President until Lesko joins the company.Lesko retired in April 2022 as a Vice President of the General Dynamics Corporation and President of Bath Iron Works (BIW). Lesko served as President of BIW from 2017 to 2022.A 32-year BIW employee and third generation shipbuilder…

03 Aug 2020

Canada's First Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship Delivered

The first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS), Harry DeWolf, was handed over on July 31, 2020, in Halifax, marking the delivery of the first ship in the largest fleet recapitalization Canada’s peacetime history. (Photo: Royal Canadian Navy)

The first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS), Harry DeWolf, was delivered to the Government of Canada on July 31, 2020, in Halifax, N.S.Built by Irving Shipbuilding, the new 6,615-metric-ton, 103.6-meter ship is the largest vessel ever built in Canada in a combat package as well as the largest Navy vessel built in the country in more than 50 years. It is also the first warship to be delivered as part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), with many more ships to come as part of the Navy's future fleet.

30 Mar 2022

Insights: Gavin Higgins, CEO, Everett Ship Repair

Gavin Higgins, CEO, Nichols Brothers Boat Builders and Everett Ship Repair

Everett Ship Repair (ESR) is a relatively new name in the U.S. ship repair business. Established in October 2019, the Pacific Northwest shipyard is owned by Ice Cap Holdings, LLC, which is also the parent company to another shipyard not too far away: Nichols Brothers Boat Builders (NBBB).Both ESR and NBBB are headed up by CEO Gavin Higgins, who is responsible for the development of new business opportunities and cultivation of new business relationships, including working with industry groups…

06 Aug 2019

Canada to Build Six Coast Guard Icebreakers

File image of a Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker (CREDIT: AdobeStock / © Dennis Comeau

The Government of Canada is officially launching a competitive process, through an Invitation to Qualify, to add a third Canadian shipyard as a strategic partner under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS). This new shipyard will build the new program icebreakers for the Coast Guard.The Coast Guard provides critical icebreaking services to ensure commercial ships and ferries have access to Canadian ports during the winter time, and supports summer re-supply activities in Canada’s Arctic.

17 Jul 2019

Canada Announces $1.5bln for Shipbuilding

The federal government of Canada announced $1.5 billion in contracts to keep a dozen warships running for another 20 years as part of Canada’s decades-long, multi-billion-dollar national shipbuilding strategy.The National Shipbuilding Strategy is a long-term project to renew Canada's federal fleet of combat and non-combat vessels."We formed partnerships with two Canadian shipyards to deliver much-needed vessels to the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard. The strategy provides economic benefits to Canadians and rebuilds our country’s shipbuilding industry," said a statement from the government.Under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), the government has formed partnerships with the two shipyards, Irving Shipbuilding Inc.

04 Jun 2019

Irving Shipbuilding Pushes Canadian Content

Canadian shipbuilder Irving Shipbuilding Inc stated that it is committed to maximizing Canadian content and benefit through its construction of the Royal Canadian Navy’s Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS)."Our AOPS contract requires us to achieve at least 50% of Canadian Content Value (CCV) in direct work, recognizing that in some instances, we must procure material for the ships internationally," said the shipbuilding and repair company in Halifax, Canada in a press note.Today, approximately 70% of the work on AOPS is direct Canadian content. This is work that a Canadian supplier does with us directly related to the AOPS program.Any work performed outside of Canada is offset by making investments in Canada to ensure that 100% of the value of the AOPS contract is spent in Canada.

16 Mar 2017

Irving Shipbuilding Invests in Ocean Technology Programs

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.

14 Jun 2016

Milestone for Canada’s Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships

GE’s Marine Solutions business in Peterborough, Ontario is completing one of the first milestones of the company’s seven-year contract with Irving Shipbuilding Inc.,(ISI) to provide electrical power, propulsion systems, installation and commissioning services for six ice-capable Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) for the Royal Canadian Navy. GE’s power and propulsion systems will position the new vessels amongst the highest performance in their class worldwide. Four diesel generators and engines have been shipped to ISI’s Halifax Shipyard, and GE has begun acceptance testing on the first AOPS propulsion motor, expected to ship in early July. GE suppliers located in Ontario are contributing to the project providing steel, skids, metal and machining.

10 Jun 2016

Irving Shipbuilding Commits $2 Mln for Arctic Research

Irving Shipbuilding Inc. has committed $2 million in funding in partnership with the Nunavut Arctic College for an applied research project with a northern focus. “Irving Shipbuilding is pleased to support this call for research proposals for the Nunavut Research Institute,” said Kevin McCoy, Irving Shipbuilding President. The $2 million commitment is being made pursuant to Irving Shipbuilding’s Value Proposition obligation under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS). Irving Shipbuilding is committed to spending 0.5 percent of contract revenues with the aim of creating a sustainable marine industry across Canada, amounting to approximately $12 million over the duration of the Arctic Offshore Patrol vessel contract.

01 May 2015

Canada to Scale Back Plan for Navy Ships, Go Over Budget

Canadian officials said on Friday a C$26.2 billion ($21.5 billion) program to build 15 naval ships could end up below target and over budget, the latest challenge to Canada's troubled military procurement process. In 2010, the Conservative government announced the program to replace three destroyers and 12 frigates with 15 modern warships. But officials told a briefing that the plan was now to build "up to 15 vessels" and the exact number would not be known for another few years. Construction is set to start early in the next decade and end in 2040. "Do we think that the C$26.2 billion is going to become the sort of ceiling cost in the time frame we're talking about? Perhaps not," one official said, on condition of anonymity.

18 Feb 2015

Irving Shipyard Offers College, Job Opportunities for Women

From left to right: Doreen Parsons, Manager of the Women Unlimited Association; Don Bureaux, Nova Scotia Community College President; Kevin McCoy, President of Irving Shipbuilding; Kelly Regan, Minister of Labour and Advanced Education; Koren Beaman, Halifax Shipyard Local 1 Executive (CNW Group/J.D. Irving, Limited)

Irving Shipbuilding has partnered with Women Unlimited to provide education funding and job opportunities to 20 women who will participate in the welding and metal fabrication program at the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) Akerley Campus. The partnership is an outcome of Irving Shipbuilding's Centre of Excellence funding announced in October 2012. The mandate of the Centre of Excellence is to provide Nova Scotians, with particular focus on under-represented Nova Scotians, with applicable programs and training to optimize opportunities to work in the marine industry.

16 Jan 2015

Canada Picks Irving to Build Arctic Patrol Ships

Image courtesy of Irving

Canada has picked Nova Scotia's Irving Shipbuilding Inc to build at least five Arctic patrol ships for the country's navy for C$2.3 billion ($1.9 billion) and has increased the overall program's budget, government officials said on Friday. The total budget for building the ships, part of the government's efforts to exert Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic, has increased by C$400 million to C$3.5 billion, with C$1.2 billion of that to be used for such things as infrastructure, ammunition, administrative costs and final operating capability.

16 Dec 2014

Higgins Named CEO of Nichols Brothers Boat Builders

Gavin Higgins (Photo: NBBB)

Gavin Higgins has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Ice Floe LLC dba Nichols Brothers Boat Builders (NBBB), the company announced today. Effective immediately, Higgins replaces Matt Nichols, one of the company’s founders who has served as CEO of NBBB since February 2012, also serving as CEO for more than 35 years prior to the company’s sale in 2008. Nichols will remain with the company as its Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, and as a member of the board of directors.

07 Feb 2014

Canada Patrol Boat Construction Project Pushes Forward

The Hon. Diane Finley: Photo credit Irving Shipbuilding

The Canadian Government has released funds with a potential value of $53.5 million to Irving Shipbuilding to pay for tasks connected with the construction of the Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS). •             The definition contract is a task-based contract divided into seven work packages (or tasks) that will enable Irving Shipbuilding Inc. to have full designs and requirements established for the Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ships before building. Plans remain on track to cut steel and begin construction in 2015.

01 Nov 2013

Canadian Coast Guard Accepts New Hero-class Cutter

CCGS Corporal McLaren M.M.V.:Photo credit Canadian Govt.

“Our Government is proud to accept the CCGS Corporal McLaren M.M.V. into the Canadian Coast Guard fleet,” said Minister Shea. The CCGS Corporal McLaren M.M.V. is a Mid-Shore Patrol Vessel that will be based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. It was built in Halifax, Nova Scotia, by Irving Shipbuilding Inc. A formal naming and dedication ceremony will follow. The Hero Class vessels are 43 metres in length with a displacement of 257 tonnes and a top speed of 25 knots. The Hero Class vessels are named for decorated soldiers…

13 Feb 2013

An Emerging Global Maritime Hub Halifax, Nova Scotia

A recent aerial photo of Irving Shipbuilding’s Halifax Shipyard taken in December 2012.

A year after Irving Shipbuilding Inc.’s successful bid to build $25B worth of combat vessels for the Royal Canadian Navy and ships for the Canadian Coast Guard, the largest procurement contract ever awarded in Canada, a positive economic buzz continues to grow across the province and throughout the Atlantic region. It’s an optimism not generated by any other project in many years. The multi-billion dollar package provided through the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS)…

04 Aug 2013

Irving Shipbuilding Buys Dartmouth Waterfront Site

Irving Shipbuilding Inc. has bought the former Maritime Steel and Foundries Ltd. steel fabrication site in Dartmouth as part of its plans to gear up for the $25-billion dollar federal combat ship procurement contract, reports 'The Chronicle Herald'. According to documents filed with Property Online Nova Scotia, title to the 2.4-hectare site at 605 Windmill Rd. was transferred from Cameron Corporation Ltd. to Irving Shipbuilding in June. Citing Irving spokeswoman Mary Keith, 'The Chronicle Herald' reported that the company wouldn’t disclose the purchase price, which was rumoured to be about $13 million. There has been considerable construction reported at and around the Halifax shipyard…

04 Oct 2013

New Canadian Coast Guard Cutter Accepted

CCGS G. Peddle S.C.: Photo credit Canadian Coast Guard

The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, has announced acceptance of the fifth of the Canadian Coast Guard’s new Hero Class vessels, the 'CCGS G. The CCGS G. Peddle S.C. is a Mid-Shore Patrol Vessel that will be based in Dartmouth, 
Nova Scotia. It was constructed in Halifax, Nova Scotia, by Irving Shipbuilding Inc. A formal naming and dedication ceremony will follow. The Hero-Class vessels are 43 metres in length with a displacement of 257 tonnes and a top speed of 25 knots. “We are honoured to accept the CCGS G. Peddle S.C.

10 Jul 2012

Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship Contract for Irving Shipbuilding

The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, on behalf of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women, welcomed the signing of a preliminary contract with Irving Shipbuilding Inc. as part of the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) project being implemented under the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS). This preliminary $9.3-million contract will enable Irving Shipbuilding Inc. to conduct a review of the existing AOPS design and specifications and create an execution strategy for the AOPS project. The AOPS will provide the Royal Canadian Navy with the flexibility to operate in Arctic and other offshore environments year-round…

10 Sep 2012

Nichols Taps Higgins as COO

Gavin Higgins, Chief Operating Officer at Nichols Brothers Boat Builders.

Gavin Higgins has joined Nichols Brothers Boat Builders as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Gavin Higgins has been appointed the Chief Operating Officer at Nichols Brothers Boat Builders. Gavin’s duties will include oversight of Engineering, Production, Project Management, Purchasing and Facilities. He will be working with the current team for the successful delivery of two tugs and superstructure for the new Washington State Ferries currently under construction at the Freeland facility.