New SAR Vessel Enters Service for the Canadian Coast Guard

The Canadian Coast Guard's newest search and rescue (SAR) lifeboat has officially entered service at the Lifeboat Station in Burgeo, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Built by Hike Metal Products in Wheatley, Ontario under Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy, the high-endurance CCGS Gabarus Bay is designed, equipped and crewed to respond to mariners needing assistance at sea.

In December 2022, CCGS Gabarus Bay was the 13th SAR lifeboat accepted by the Government of Canada and was delivered to Burgeo in April 2023. The vessel is one in a series of 20 new Bay Class SAR lifeboats slated to enter service for the Canadian Coast Guard across the country.

The shore-stationed self-righting vessels will operate up to 100 nautical miles from shore, maintain a maximum 30 minute state-of-readiness, and are typically ready to respond the moment an alert is received. Each has a top speed of 25 knots and is manned by a four-person crew.

Hike Metal Products is building 10 of the vessels, and another shipyard, Chantier Naval Forillon in Gaspé, Quebec, is building the other 10, as part of the small vessels construction pillar of the National Shipbuilding Strategy at a total project cost of $180 million.

The remaining Bay Class vessels are scheduled to be delivered over the next two years, with the last vessel delivery projected for 2025.