Seaspan.JPG” style=”padding: 10px” width=”271″ />Vancouver Shipyards, the shipping unit of Seaspan Marine, has secured a contract worth $3.3bn from Canadian Coast Guard for the construction of an additional ten non-combat ships.
The ships, which will be built through the government’s National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS), include five Medium Endurance Multi-Tasked Vessels and five Offshore Patrol Vessels.
Designed for performing many coast guard programmes including deployment, recovery and maintenance of aids to navigation, the Medium Endurance Multi-Tasked Vessels measure up to 65m in length and are capable of staying at sea for around four weeks.
Additionally, the vessels can also perform search and rescue, fisheries management and environmental response activities.
The Offshore Patrol Vessels are around 75m in length and can stay at sea for up to six weeks.
The Canadian Coast Guard will use the vessel for protecting fisheries in Canadian waters and on the high seas.
Canada public works and government services minister Diane Finley said the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy is a key priority of the Harper government as they create jobs and generate significant economic benefits in shipbuilding and other industries all across Canada.
"Today’s announcement illustrates our commitment to eliminating boom and bust cycles, while providing best value for taxpayers, and ensuring affordable and timely delivery of ships," Finley added.
The ten new vessels are in addition to the Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels, Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel, and Canada’s first Polar Icebreaker that will be built by Vancouver Shipyards for the Canadian Coast Guard.
Image: CCGS Bartlett, a Medium Endurance Multi-Tasked Vessel (above) and CCGS Tanu, an Offshore Patrol Vessel. Credit: Seaspan ULC.
