Vancouver Drydock News

Seaspan has introduced Dockboy, its new remote-controlled, ultra-high pressure (UHP) cleaning tool.Dockboy provides high-efficiency hull cleaning that removes ocean build up like barnacles, anti-fouling paint, and coatings off in one go, leaving a consistently paint-ready surface.Dockboy will be a key tool for large ship maintenance projects at Vancouver Drydock and Victoria Shipyards. Fully containerized, the tool will travel between the two shipyards so both yards can utilize its high efficiency cleaning.While crawlers have some ergonomic and efficiency advantages over blasting…

Earlier this week, the team at Seaspan’s Vancouver Drydock (Seaspan) celebrated the grand opening of its new 21,000 square foot Operations Center—a two-story facility that will support the increased capabilities at Vancouver Drydock and the the marine industry on the West Coast.The new Operations Center will serve as a hub for Vancouver Drydock employees, increasing efficiency by creating a centralized location for administration, safety and operations personnel. The space will provide new offices for operations staff…

Seaspan Shipyards has announced a $5 million investment in Novarc Technologies Inc., a North Vancouver-based full-stack AI robotics company specializing in the design and manufacturing of automated welding solutions.The funding will fuel product development and commercialization of AI-driven solutions which promise to increase industrial productivity.Seaspan has been a strategic partner and early adopter of Novarc’s welding automation technology since 2017, when it invested $500…

Seaspan on Thursday announced its Vancouver Drydock has completed a Vessel Life Extension (VLE) program for the 38-year-old Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker vessel CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier. After undocking at the end of April 2024, the vessel completed an in-water work period in preparation for ship commissioning and sea trials, finally departing Seaspan on August 17, 2024.According to Seaspan, the ship repair and overhaul project was the largest and most complex ever undertaken at Vancouver Drydock.The entire project consisted of more than100 separate upgrades including…

Seaspan is investing to upgrade and expand its Vancouver Drydock infrastructure to help grow the company’s ship repair and maintenance operations and to better serve the Pacific Northwest.Seaspan received permit approval from the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA) in October 2023 to extend its North Vancouver drydock facilities to increase capacity and service additional vessels.The upgrades, which include a drydock expansion, a new operations building and a complete overhaul of the current careen deck…

SCHOTTEL Inc (USA) and SCHOTTEL Canada Inc have entered into a cooperative agreement with two Canadian West Coast marine industry companies to support the increasing local fleet of SCHOTTEL-propelled vessels. In the agreement, Seaspan Vancouver Drydock, based in North Vancouver, will act as a service and support center while McRae Electric, based in Burnaby, will be electric and controls service provider.Since the establishment of SCHOTTEL Canada Inc in 2016, the number of vessels equipped with SCHOTTEL propulsion systems in the Pacific Northwest area have increased enormously.

Alaska Marine Lines says four of its rail barges will receive new piping and ballast systems designed by Glosten with installation by Meridian Marine Industries."The rail barges are hitting 20 years of service and were in need of some upgrades," explains John Maketa, T-115 Port Engineer in Seattle. "These barges are the backbone of our rail operations and Central Alaska service. The updates will prepare them for another 20 years of service."Two barges, the Anchorage Provider and Whittier Provider, already have the new piping systems installed.

The future Capt. Jacques Cartier, the second of three Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels (OFSV) to be designed and built by Seaspan at its Vancouver Shipyards (VSY), began sea trials on October 10, 2019 from Seaspan’s Vancouver Drydock where final outfitting, set to work and commissioning has taken place since its launch in June.“With the future Capt. Jacques Cartier headed out to sea today, excitement in our NSS program is growing,” said Mark Lamarre, CEO, Seaspan Shipyards.

Seaspan’s Vancouver Drydock (Seaspan) announced the completion of work on the Silver Explorer for Silversea Expeditions.This spectacular vessel has an ice strengthened hull and is designed to safely bring guests to some of the world’s most remote locations where she often needs to push through treacherous ice floes.The Silver Explorer begins her next cruise having received significant investment to further enhance the experience of passengers aboard this ultra-luxury vessel.One of the key considerations for the vessel’s owners was ensuring that the chosen shipyard, Seaspan, had an excellent reputation and understood the care and consideration needed to work on this unique  vessel.The Silver Explorer arrived in mid-September and remained under the care of Seaspan…

Following five weeks of repair and installation activities, Seaspan’s Vancouver Drydock (VDC) has completed its refit activities on Louis Dreyfus’ Ile de Batz Special Purpose/Cable Layer vessel. Arriving on April 21 and departing VDC on-schedule on May 25, 2017, the Paris, France-based vessel underwent a wide scope of work that included the assembly of a new plow (special insitu welding/machining), overall support for mobilizing the ship, as well as the primary focus of the refit program, the installation of a Ballast Water Treatment (BWT) system – the first of its kind at VDC. “This innovative repair and maintenance project truly was an all-hands-on-deck job…

Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards has appointed Tony Tinto to Vice President, Planning & Estimating. Tony joined Vancouver Shipyards (VSY) in 2006 as a Project Manager, before moving over to affiliate company Vancouver Drydock in 2007 in a similar capacity. In 2012, Tony returned to VSY as Director, Planning & Production Control, and was appointed to the role of interim Vice President, Planning & Estimating in November 2016. Prior to his arrival at Seaspan in 2006, Tony worked as a Design & Engineering Manager for Westbay SonShip & Yachts. As part of the Seaspan Shipyards senior leadership team, Tony is responsible for providing leadership and direction on network planning, detail planning and production control, as well as estimating for new ship construction.

Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards has announced the appointment of Tony Tinto to Vice President, Planning & Estimating. Tinto joined Vancouver Shipyards (VSY) in 2006 as a Project Manager, before moving over to affiliate company Vancouver Drydock in 2007 in a similar capacity. In 2012, Tinto  returned to VSY as Director, Planning & Production Control, and was appointed to the role of interim Vice President, Planning & Estimating in November 2016. Prior to his arrival at Seaspan in 2006, Tinto worked as a Design & Engineering Manager for Westbay SonShip & Yachts.

Seaspan Shipyard’s long-standing relationship with the Canadian Coast Guard was proudly showcased in recent days, with simultaneous repair and maintenance work on Coast Guard vessels at all three of the company’s shipyards – Vancouver Drydock, Vancouver Shipyards and Victoria Shipyards. “The role we play as an essential service provider to the Canadian Coast Guard is one that we take great pride in,” said Brian Carter, President, Seaspan Shipyards. In North Vancouver, Vancouver Drydock completed regular maintenance last week on the JP Tully, a 69 metre long Ice Class Oceanographic Survey Vessel, including overhauls to the tail-shaft and thrusters, hull preparation, paint and tank blasting, and re-coating.

A steel boat can continue to serve for many years if properly maintained. Seaspan Marine is the largest towing company on the British Columbia coast. Utilizing the services of their sister companies Vancouver Drydock, Vancouver Shipyard and Victoria Shipyards, they do much of their own repair and maintenance work. The upgrade and maintenance of the 25.24 by 7.56-meter (82.8 x 24.8) Seaspan Cutlass was done at Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyard, which was the yard that built the tug and her sisters, including the Seaspan Cavalier in 1975. Both tugs have received similar upgrades.

Seaspan CEO  addresses concerns raised by the Parliamentary Budget Officer about the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS). (Seaspan affiliate companies include Vancouver Drydock, Vancouver Shipyards and Victoria Shipyards). We are confident the NSPS program as described in 2010, as awarded in October 2011, and as signed in the umbrella agreement (UA) on February 14, 2012, is solidly on track. Since the signing of the UA, Seaspan has realized success in building the right management team, processes and infrastructure to set the yard up for long-term success. When Seaspan was awarded the Non-Combat program package, we hoped to have secured a design contract in about one year. We signed it last week, four months past the one-year anniversary of the contract award.

Brian Carter is joining Seaspan Shipyards as President, assuming this role full-time beginning January 9, 2012. In this role, Brian is responsible for delivering the long-term strategic plans of Seaspan’s three shipyard operations (Vancouver Drydock, Vancouver Shipyards and Victoria Shipyards). In addition to working with Seaspan’s senior management team at both the corporate and shipyard level, one of Brian’s key areas of focus will be aligning the shipyard group for long-term success under the new $8 billion Federal Fleet Renewal Program.

July 27 is potentially a historic day for Davie Canada, as the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy Secretariat announced that it had accepted the application for a change of bidder received from 7731299 Canada Inc. (Davie Canada) on July 21, 2011. This makes the race for the $33b contract officially a three-way race, with bids from Davie Canada, Irving Shipbuilding of Halifax and B.C.'s Seaspan Marine Corp., owner of Vancouver Shipyards, Vancouver Drydock and Victoria Shipyard. Each shipyard has the backing of their respective provincial governments, all hoping to see thousands of new jobs created as well as billions of dollars invested in economies. One of the shipyards will be chosen to build combat vessels and one to build non-combat ships.

According to a report from Times Colonist, Bob Plecas, a former provincial deputy minister of economic development, said B.C. should not give Seaspan tax breaks to help its bid for federal shipbuilding work. Instead, the province could support training programs or build infrastructure, such as a road or railway spur line, which could assist other ventures as well. North Vancouver-based Seaspan, owner of Vancouver Shipyards, Vancouver Drydock, and Victoria Shipyards, is seeking tax breaks.   Source: Times Colonist

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.

Spiro Risvas, Senior Vice President, WMG Shipyards announced the appointment of John McNeill to the position of Manager, Marketing and Sales, WMG Shipyards. McNeill’s former role of Vancouver Shipyard’s Manager, Commercial Accounts has been restructured into this new position, to allow him to identify opportunities and apply his talents across all three WMG shipyard operations. John will now provide sales and marketing expertise to all three WMG Shipyards (Vancouver Drydock, Vancouver…

The Queen of Coquitlam left for Vancouver Drydock this morning to begin a major upgrade as part of a strategy to improve operational efficiency on the services between Horseshoe Bay and Nanaimo. The Washington Marine Group of Vancouver was awarded the contract to upgrade the 26-year-old Queen of Coquitlam following an international competitive bidding process. The Queen of Coquitlam, built in 1976, is one of five double-ended vessels that operate on major routes between Vancouver Island and the Mainland. The vessel will undergo extraordinary maintenance, regulatory compliance modifications and renovation of the restaurant and passenger accommodation to prepare the vessel for an additional 20 years of service.