Seaspan, Genoa Extend Partnership on Canada’s Polar Icebreaker Design

Seaspan Shipyards has signed a contract with Newfoundland-based Genoa Design International to provide technical design services for the Canadian Coast Guard’s new heavy polar icebreaker.

Under the deal, Genoa will expand its workforce to more than 100 naval architecture and marine systems designers as it supports the vessel’s design and build phases at Vancouver Shipyards, as part of the agreement that extends a long-standing partnership between the two Canadian firms.

The new heavy polar icebreaker will be the first of its kind built in Canada in over 60 years. At 158 meters long and 28 meters wide, the Polar Class 2 vessel is designed for year-round, self-sufficient operations in the high Arctic. It will play a key role in enabling the Coast Guard to operate across more than 162,000 km of Arctic coastline.

The ship will accommodate up to 100 personnel and sustain a 12-month presence in Canada’s North, supporting sovereignty patrols, Arctic science including climate research, Indigenous and northern communities, and emergency response such as search and rescue.

The vessel is the seventh designed and built by Seaspan under the National Shipbuilding Strategy and one of up to 21 icebreaking vessels the company is constructing for the Coast Guard.

“This agreement not only solidifies our role in the Canadian Polar Icebreaker program but also underscores Vancouver Shipyards’ confidence in our ability to provide reliable expertise,” said Laurie Balan, Chief Operating Officer at Genoa.

 “Seaspan’s new heavy polar icebreaker is more than a ship — it represents a national capability for generations. Genoa continue to be an important Canadian design partner, helping us deliver this flagship vessel to the Coast Guard,” added Kate Morton, Vice President of Supply Chain at Seaspan.