Davie Awarded Contract for Canadian Icebreaker Design
The Canadian government has awarded a contract to shipbuilder Chantier Davie Canada Inc. of Lévis, Quebec, for initial work related to the construction of new Program Icebreakers. Under this $19.6-million contract including taxes, Davie will begin work to develop the initial design.
A series of six new Program Icebreakers is planned to replace the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) medium icebreakers that operate in Atlantic Canada and the St. Lawrence waterways during the winter, and in the Arctic during the summer.
This contract enables the shipyard to initiate project planning phases, such as the initial design to evaluate the requirements to build the ships.
Davie president and CEO, James Davies, said: “This is a momentous first step in our journey to deliver a fleet of the largest and most advanced icebreakers ever built in and for Canada. My heartfelt thanks go to the dedicated teams at Davie, the Canadian Coast Guard and PSPC. They have spent countless hours preparing for this historic milestone. Now, we can’t wait to get working on renewing Canada’s Arctic fleet.”
As Davie and the government progress in various pre-construction phases, a more defined build schedule will be determined. Davie said it will establish a Program Icebreaker project management and design office, recruit teams of shipbuilding professionals and engage subcontractors to design and certify the vessel to established safety, environmental and performance standards.
Jean-Yves Duclos, Canada’s Minister of Public Services and Procurement (PSPC) said, “This first contract awarded to Chantier Davie under the National Shipbuilding Strategy brings us a step closer to providing the Canadian Coast Guard with the next generation Arctic ships. They will be among the most advanced, sustainable and durable vessels tailored to the world’s harshest environments. The new fleet will be symbolic of Canada’s Arctic presence and crucial to keeping our country open for business year-round.”
In May 2019, the Canadian government announced it would be procuring six new Program Icebreakers as part of the CCG fleet renewal, as well as its intention to add a third Canadian shipyard as a strategic partner under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), a long-term, multi-billion-dollar program focused on renewing the CCG and Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) fleets. A competitive process to select the shipbuilder was launched later that year.
In April 2023, the government welcomed Davie as the third strategic partner under the NSS. The shipyard has already supports Canada’s fleets, receiving over $2.895 billion in contracts since 2012 for various types of work on ships for the CCG, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and Transport Canada.
Previous work performed by Davie under the NSS includes acquiring and converting three medium interim icebreakers for the CCG, refitting the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St‑Laurent, converting the Motor Vessel Asterix to provide the RCN with an interim auxiliary oiler replenishment capability, and maintaining one of the RCN’s Halifax-class frigates. In addition, Davie is currently working on the design and construction of two ferries for Transport Canada.
NSS contracts awarded between 2012 and 2022 are estimated to have contributed close to $25 billion ($2.1 billion annually) to Canada’s gross domestic product, and created or maintained approximately 18,800 jobs annually between 2012 and 2023.