Shipbuilding projects to equip the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard

Under the National Shipbuilding Strategy, we formed partnerships with two Canadian shipyards to renew Canada’s federal fleet of vessels. Learn about current projects to build large and small combat and non-combat vessels. Consult the status of projects to repair, refit, maintain and dispose of vessels and to explore interim solutions to meet current needs.

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Large vessels

To build Canada’s large vessels fleet, we established long-term strategic relationships with two Canadian shipyards:

Combat vessels

Non-combat vessels

Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships

These vessels will:

Project at a glance

Progress of the project

Construction of the first vessel is well underway. In August 2016, the shipyard cut steel on the second vessel.

Next steps

Construction of the third vessel should begin in fall 2017.

Canadian Surface Combatant

These vessels will:

Project at a glance

Progress of the project

In June 2016, we announced a streamlined procurement approach designed to deliver these vessels more quickly. The new approach will allow Canada to competitively select an existing warship design to modify to:

12 companies have been prequalified to participate in the procurement process. They were provided the request for proposal in October 2016. These companies are:

Next steps

Once the bid period has closed, Canada and Irving Shipbuilding Inc. will evaluate the proposals. Selection of the design will be completed in 2018.

Latest announcements

Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels

These vessels will:

Project at a glance

Progress of the project

Construction of the first two ships is well underway, having begun in June 2015 and March 2016.

Next steps

Delivery of the first vessel will be in 2017.

Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel

This vessel will:

Project at a glance

Progress of the project

In February 2016, Canada awarded the contract for long lead items and material to Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards. This contract enables the shipyard to initiate early discussions with potential suppliers and to purchase the required material and equipment.

Next steps

Work will continue to finalize the design to a production-ready state.

Joint Support Ships

These vessels will:

Project at a glance

Progress of the project

The initial design review work is nearly complete. We have begun competitively selecting the major equipment and systems to be installed in the first ship.

Next steps

With the awarding of the design and production engineering contract, the design work on this project will speed up in 2017. The advanced procurement of major equipment identified as long lead items and required for the construction phase will also take place during 2017.

Latest announcements

Polar Icebreaker

This vessel will:

Project at a glance

Progress of the project

Canada has committed to keeping the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent in service at least until the delivery of the Polar Icebreaker. We have completed the necessary definition work and will move to the next phase once work on preceding projects has advanced.

Next phase

Negotiations of a construction engineering contract with Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd. should occur in 2017.

Latest announcements

Small vessels

Small vessels are vessels with less than 1,000 tonnes of displacement. Canadian shipyards other than Irving Shipbuilding Inc. and Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd. can compete for individual projects to build small vessels. This means important work can be spread throughout the shipbuilding sector.

The vessel projects are:

Search and Rescue Lifeboats

These shore-stationed self-righting lifeboats will:

Project at a glance

Progress of the project

Construction began at both shipyards in fall 2016.

Next steps

Delivery of the first vessel at both shipyards is expected for summer 2017.

Channel Survey and Sounding Vessel

These vessels will:

Project at a glance

Progress of the project

The contract to build these vessels was awarded on October 31, 2016.

Next steps

Construction will start begin in early June 2017. The start of construction of the second vessel will begin in September 2017.

Hydrographic Survey Vessels

These vessels will:

Project at a glance

Progress of the project

The 5 vessels were delivered by March 31, 2017. The tests and trials were successfully conducted on the sixth vessel on April 18, 2017. The last vessel is built and is currently being outfitted.

Next steps

The final inspection as well as the tests and trials of the last vessel are planned for the week of May 8, 2017. The last vessels are scheduled to be delivered during the week of May 22, 2017.

Coastal Research Vessel

This vessel will:

Project at a glance

Progress of the project

The work is completed.

Repair, refit and maintenance projects

Contracts for ship repair, refit and maintenance requirements are competed through publicly announced requests for proposals and invitations to tender. This work has benefitted numerous Canadian shipyards and suppliers across Canada.

Ongoing projects

Canadian Coast Guard Ship Pierre Radisson

The Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Pierre Radisson is a medium icebreaker based in Quebec, Quebec. It normally operates in the St. Lawrence River, the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Canadian Arctic. In winter, it breaks ice and escorts ships in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and on the St. Lawrence and Saguenay rivers. In summer, it travels to the Canadian Arctic to escort commercial ships, serve as a primary search and rescue unit and provide support to scientific missions when possible.

Project at a glance
Progress of the project

Work started in early September 2016 for the implementation of phase 1, which includes:

Repair and maintenance work was completed in January 2017 for the winter icebreaking operations.

Next steps

The implementation of phase 2 is scheduled between April and July 2017 in Quebec. A request for proposal has been released and the contract award is scheduled for February 2017.

Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships and Joint Support Ships in-service support contract

We announced the launch of an open competition to provide in-service support, including refit, repair and maintenance and training, for both the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) and Joint Support Ships (JSS). This combined contract approach is referred to as AOPS and JSS In-Service Support (AJISS).

Project at a glance
Progress of the project

The request for proposal was issued July 8, 2016, and closed on November 8, 2016. On December 21, 2016, following the bid evaluation, the bidders were notified of the ranking of their bids in this evaluation. Negotiations with the highest ranked bidder started on January 18, 2017, and were completed successfully on February 8, 2017.

Next steps

Contract award.

Completed projects

Canadian Coast Guard Ship Sipu Muin

The Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Sipu Muin is a hovercraft that routinely conducts icebreaking duties and maintenance of navigational aids out of its home port of Trois-Rivières, Quebec. The name Sipu Muin is Mi’kmaq, meaning “river bear.”

As part of its scheduled modernization, the vessel was in dry-dock at Réparations Navales et Industrielles Océan in Quebec, Quebec for 6 months ending in December 2016. The contract was valued at $3.1 million.

This modernization was part of the Canadian Coast Guard’s work to ensure the 19-year-old vessel will reach its intended operational life. The work included:

Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Haida

Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Haida is a Second World War vessel. It is located in Hamilton, Ontario and is designated as a level 1 heritage asset belonging to Parks Canada. This vessel is now a historic site offering guided tours.

A sole source contract valued at $2 million was negotiated with Heddle Marine in Hamilton. The contract is for the drydocking and repair of the vessel. The work, completed in December 2016, included:

Canadian Coast Guard Ship Henry Larsen

The CCGS Henry Larsen is a medium icebreaker based in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. It was built in 1987, and normally operates in the St. Lawrence River, the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Canadian Arctic.

The vessel life extension work was completed in June 2016, at Chantier Davie, based in Lévis, Quebec. The contract was valued at $16 million.

Canadian Coast Guard Ship Earl Grey

The CCGS Earl Grey is a medium endurance multi-tasked vessel based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. It was built in 1985, and normally operates in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Canadian Arctic.

The vessel life extension work was completed in March 2016 at Chantier Davie, based in Lévis, Quebec. The contract was valued at $14 million.

Future projects

Vessel refits

Vessel life extensions

Consult the maintenance calendar for Canadian Coast Guard vessels

Vessel disposal

As the Royal Canadian Navy undergoes its most extensive peacetime modernization in history, it has announced the retirement (meaning, the disposal) of five vessels that have reached the end of their operational lives.

The vessels are:

The disposal of these vessels has been anticipated for some time. It is a step toward:

Their disposal is part of the Public Services and Procurement Canada marine portfolio and is not included directly under the National Shipbuilding Strategy.

Contracts for disposal requirements are competed through publicly announced requests for proposals.

Disposal of the former Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Protecteur and Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Algonquin

A contract valued at $39 million was awarded to R.J. MacIsaac Construction Ltd. in November 2015. The disposal is expected to be completed in summer 2017 for HMCS Protecteur and in fall 2017 for HMCS Algonquin.

Disposal of the former Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Iroquois

A contract valued at $10.8 million was awarded to R.J. MacIsaac Construction Ltd. in October 2016. The disposal is expected to be completed by spring 2018.

Learn how this ship is impacting Canadians

Disposal of the former Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Preserver and Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Athabaskan

The former HMCS Preserver and Athabaskan are in various stages of preparation for disposal. A competitive solicitation process to award a contract for each vessel’s disposal will be released to coincide with the completion of disposal preparation work.

Interim requirements

While the strategy is a long-term plan to build vessels in Canada, there will be other requirements from time to time. As we identify requirements to support the Canadian Coast Guard, Royal Canadian Navy and the entire federal fleet, we engage with industry in open and transparent processes.

Auxiliary oiler replenishment vessel

On November 30, 2015, after the retirement of the two Royal Canadian Navy replenishment ships the previous year, we entered into an at-sea services contract with Federal Fleet Services Inc. (formerly Project Resolve Inc.) to provide the Royal Canadian Navy with an interim at-sea auxiliary oiler replenishment capability, prior to the delivery of the two Joint Support Ships being constructed at Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd.