Seaspan Awards Major Joint Support Ships Contract

Seaspan Shipyards has contracted Hawboldt Industries to provide deck equipment for a pair of naval supply vessels it is building for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS).

Under the two contracts, which together are valued at $8 million, Hawboldt will design and build the anchoring and mooring packages and the primary cranes for the two Joint Support Ships (JSS) being built at Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyard.

Seaspan began building the first JSS in June. At over 173 meters in length and with a design displacement of nearly 20,000 metric tons, JSS will be among the largest ships built on Canada’s West Coast once complete.

Hawboldt has an established relationship with Seaspan, having worked under the NSS on the Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels (OFSV), the first of which was launched late last year.

The contracts awarded to the Chester, N.S. supplier today are among several expected to be announced for Canadian suppliers supporting Seaspan’s JSS construction.

Through its work under the NSS, Seaspan has developed nearly $650 million in committed contracts with approximately 520 Canadian companies. As the company continues to make progress on its NSS commitments, this supply chain is expected to grow as more Canadian companies realize new opportunities with a revitalized shipbuilding industry.

“Thanks to its work under the NSS, Seaspan Shipyards is developing a Canadian supply chain that can respond to the needs of our domestic shipbuilding industry,” said Mark Lamarre, Chief Executive Officer, Seaspan Shipyards. “With this supply chain development, the NSS is encouraging investment by Canadian companies, supporting the development of export opportunities, and creating highly-skilled, middle class jobs across Canada.”

Navdeep Bains, Minister of Industry, Science, and Economic Development, said, “Seaspan’s investment in Hawboldt is a prime example of how we are using our purchasing power to drive shipbuilding innovation and support Canadian jobs. Our government is using the Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy to make sure that projects under the National Shipbuilding Strategy deliver jobs and economic benefits across the country.”

It is through its work on the NSS that Seaspan is directly and indirectly helping to employ thousands of Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

“One of the goals of Canada's NSS is to build a solid and sustainable domestic marine sector,” said Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Public Services and Procurement. “Today's announcement will help create well-paying jobs while encouraging investment in Canadian companies. Congratulations to both Seaspan and Hawboldt Industries on this important contract.”

“This is a tremendous vote of confidence from Seaspan in Hawboldt’s ability to deliver critical equipment for the next phase of the NSS,” said John Huxtable, General Manager, Hawboldt Industries. “We value Seaspan’s commitment to the Canadian supply chain as it provides a boost to Canadian companies like Hawboldt, who leverage these domestic sales into strong international exports. Equipment that Hawboldt has developed for Seaspan’s NSS projects like the JSS is being marketed and sold around the world.”