Irving Begins Building Canada's First Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship
Hundreds of employees gathered in Irving Shipbuilding’s new Assembly Hall at the Halifax Shipyard to celebrate the start of production of Canada’s first Arctic Offshore Patrol ship (AOPS).
“Today is a milestone we have all been anticipating. It is a great day to be a shipbuilder in Nova Scotia as we mark the beginning of this generational opportunity,” said Kevin McCoy, President of Irving Shipbuilding. “We're doing this with the best team and the largest and most modern shipbuilding facility in North America. Our focus is on delivering the best value to Canada with a growing supply chain from coast to coast to coast.”
Production has begun on two units for the center section of the first AOPS. Welders, pipefitters, marine fabricators and iron workers are among the trades involved in the process, using the new state-of-the-art panel line.
Delivery of the first HMCS Harry DeWolf-class ship is expected in 2018.
The ship is the first of up to 21 vessels that will renew Canada's combatant fleet over the next 30 years under the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy. The Canadian government and Irving Shipbuilding signed the $2.3 billion AOPS build contract earlier this year. Irving has built more than 80 percent of Canada's current combatant ships.
All of the employees on the recall list have been contacted. Current direct employment at Marine Fabricators in Dartmouth (where steel is cut) and the Halifax Shipyard is about 900 direct employees (staff and hourly). Over the next two years, the workforce at both sites is expected to rise to 1,600 direct employees with more than 1,000 directly employed on AOPS production. In addition, total employment at Irving Shipbuilding (all operations) is forecasted to rise to more than 2,500 direct employees at peak production of the larger Canadian Surface Combatant vessels that will replace Canada's current fleet of Halifax Class frigates.
According to the shipbuilder, the modernization at Irving Shipbuilding and the AOPS contract have resulted in more than $1 billion in spending commitments to date, including more than $850 million committed within Canada (84 percent of contracts awarded), more than $300 million committed spend to companies in Nova Scotia and more than 2,000 suppliers now registered with Irving Shipbuilding.
This spend is expected to generate more than 8,700 direct and indirect jobs in Canada (3,400 in Nova Scotia), more than $550 million in direct and indirect employment income and an estimated $400 million in consumer spending, according to ISI Economic Impact Assessment, Jupia Consulting Inc.
Irving Shipbuilding said it is continuing to hire for positions at the Halifax Shipyard, with all currently available postings on its website.