Royal Canadian Navy News

LeeWay Marine, a Dartmouth, Nova Scotia based owner and operator or survey and research vessels, announced Bill Sanson will be joining the team as President, taking on the day-to-day oversight of LeeWay operations.Sanson comes to LeeWay from the Royal Canadian Navy and brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the maritime domain. “With his extensive marine background, deep operational experience and fresh perspective, we’re confident Bill will be a tremendous asset to the LeeWay team.” said Jamie Sangster, CEO of LeeWay. “He’s an operator and a leader.

MAN Energy Solutions has won the order to deliver the propulsion systems for two Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) for the Canadian Coast Guard as part of a consortium with GE Power Conversion.MAN will deliver the engines, shafts and propellers for the AOPS’ integrated diesel-electric propulsion systems and is also providing a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system with each engine.Each vessel will feature 4 × MAN 6L32/44CR engines, each engine delivering 3,600 KW and using MAN’s most advanced common-rail electronic injection system…

Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD) on Thursday announced it has struck a deal with Rolls-Royce to acquire its naval propulsors and handling business. The acquisition will include a range of propellers and waterjets for naval applications, as well as marine handling systems, which enable the deployment and recovery of manned and unmanned craft, and other cargo, from naval vessels.“When you look at the 150-year history of Fairbanks Morse Defense, you will find a handful of distinctive moments that completely transformed this company.

The U.S. Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Navy offloaded $44.2 million worth of cocaine in San Diego, last week.The crew aboard Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Yellowknife (HMCS-706) and a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment team interdicted more than 3,100 lbs. of cocaine approximately 430 miles southwest of Acapulco, Mexico, September 5.Capt. Tim Lavier, Eleventh Coast Guard District chief of response, said, “Deploying a Coast Guard law enforcement team aboard a Canadian…

The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) is acquiring four new state-of-the-art Naval Large Tugs (NLT) to modernize its fleet. These new tugs—two for each of Canada's coasts—will replace the current Glen-class and Fire-class tugs.The new IMO Tier III vessels are based on a proven Robert Allan Ltd. RAmparts 2400 design. They are more powerful and more capable, which will improve the RCN's effectiveness in harbor berthing, coastal towing and firefighting. This update will strengthen the RCN's effectiveness in supporting the fleet.In April 2019…

Irving Shipbuilding has awarded Bardex Corporation a contract for a 165-meter shiplift drydock to support its River-class destroyer shipbuilding program for the Royal Canadian Navy.With a capacity of over 27,000 metric tons, the OmniLift Shiplift will include fifty-six 575-metric ton chain jack lift stations. According to Bardex, the shiplift drydock will be the largest in the Americas.“A reliable, long-term shiplift asset is vital to the success of the River-class program and partnering with the world class Bardex Corporation to implement this project is the first step.

Two new Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) under construction for the Canadian Coast Guard were named during a ceremony at Irving Shipbuilding's Halifax Shipyard. The July 31 event also marked the official keel laying for AOPS 7, and celebrated construction start of AOPS 8.AOPS 7, the first AOPS for the Canadian Coast Guard, will be named CCGS Donjek Glacier after the Donjek Glacier located in Kluane National Park in Yukon. AOPS 8, the second vessel for the Canadian Coast Guard and the final AOPS…

The Canadian government on Tuesday announced it has awarded a pair of contracts to Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd. (VSY) to initiate the next stages of procuring the first flight of Multi-Purpose Vessels (MPV) for the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG).These contracts, which are worth $490.6 million combined (taxes included), following completion of the vessel’s basic design review in late 2023 and allow VSY to undertake pre-construction work, such as selecting specific pieces of equipment…

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…

Seaspan Shipyards, Canada’s long-term shipbuilding partner for the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) and Royal Canadian Navy, has awarded ABB a contract to deliver an integrated propulsion system for the first of the CCG’s new-generation polar class icebreakers.The vessel is expected to be one of the world’s largest and most powerful diesel-electric icebreaker when it enters service in 2030, with ABB supplying vessel systems complying with IACS Polar Class 2 requirements for year-round…

Serco has signed on a team assembled by Vard Marine Inc. to replace the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) Kingston Class Maritime Coastal Defense Vessels (MCDV) under Pillar Two of Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy.Vard Marine, a Fincantieri company, launched VIGILANCE in 2023 to "provide the RCN with a state-of-the-art, capable, operationally flexible, and globally deployable multi-mission naval vessel" that is designed, built and equipped in Canada.Other Team Vigilance partner companies include Ontario Shipyards…

The Royal Canadian Navy’s fifth Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS), the future HMCS Frédérick Rolette, was launched December 9, 2023, at Irving Shipbuilding's Halifax Shipyard.A full two months ahead of schedule, the 103-metre future HMCS Frédérick Rolette transitioned from Halifax Shipyard’s land level facility to a submersible barge on December 8 and launched in the Bedford Basin. The ship is now pier side at Halifax Shipyard where work continues in preparation for sea trials…

The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) has implemented SkillGrader for simulation assessment in the Naval Officer Training Centre’s Navigation and Bridge Simulator (NABS) environment.Developed by Marine Learning Systems (MLS), SkillGrader will gather, store and report training metrics from student assessments. The project supports the RCN’s efforts to continuously enhance the quality of professional development of their Naval Warfare Officers.SkillGrader is a first of its kind tablet-based…

Canada's understaffed and resource-stretched navy is in "a critical state" and might not be able to carry out its basic duties next year, the top admiral said in a YouTube video released this week.The comments by Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee are an unusually blunt expression of unhappiness from the military over the state of the armed forces. Canada only spends about 1.3% of its annual gross domestic product on defense, much less than the North Atlantic Treaty Organization target of 2%.In the video…

Under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), Seaspan Shipyards has contributed more than $5.7 billion to Canada’s GDP through its shipbuilding and repair, refit, and maintenance activities and will contribute an additional $20.7 billion to Canada’s GDP through 2035, according to a recent socio-economic study conducted by Deloitte Canada. The report highlights the significant economic benefits of rebuilding the shipbuilding industry in Canada since the introduction of the NSS.In addition to the GDP contributions made by Seaspan over the last 12 years…

Seaspan Shipyards hosted a ceremonial keel laying event for the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) future HMCS Preserver.Scheduled for delivery in 2027, the vessel is the second of two Joint Support Ships being built by Seaspan as part of Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS). Through incorporating lessons learned on the design and construction of JSS1, the second Joint Support Ship is tracking ahead of schedule and efficiencies are seen throughout the build process – from advancements in design and supply chain streamlining…

Canada's Irving Shipbuilding on Tuesday cut steel for the seventh Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS), the first of two for the Canadian Coast Guard’s fleet. Celebrated at the Halifax Shipyard, the steel cutting of AOPS 7 marks the official start of construction on the vessel.The Canadian Coast Guard’s AOPS will be tasked with a wide range of missions. Both ships will operate as the Canadian Coast Guard’s primary platform with increased capabilities to support fisheries enforcement on Canada’s east coast…

Moises DelToro at GE Vernova’s Power Conversion business, discusses how deploying a Ship’s Electric Grid is a flexible way to accommodate growing energy demands for naval and coast guard vessels.A new age of electrificationWe’re in a new naval era and it is reshaping views about fleet mixes and capabilities. Modern fleets need to be mission-configurable, highly capable for military advantage, adaptable for technology insertion, but still affordable. The growing demand for vessel power is increasingly an enabler for mission systems, not just for platform propulsion.

Vard Marine Inc. (VARD), a Fincantieri company, has launched the Vigilance Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) at the Canadian defense trade show CANSEC 2023, in conjunction with Team Vigilance partner companies Heddle Shipyards, Thales Canada, SH Defence, and Fincantieri.Collectively, Team Vigilance partner companies bring vast and impressive capabilities and experience to bear in naval ship design, Canadian and global shipbuilding, the integration of combat and offboard systems, modular payload systems, and life-cycle solutions.

The Canadian Coast Guard has revealed big plans to invest in its fleet of small vessels.Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, on Thursday announced $2.5 billion CAD (roughly $1.8 billion USD) for the construction of up to 61 new small vessels and the ongoing replacement of small craft, barges and workboats within the Canadian Coast guard fleet.“This is a critical investment that will help modernize the Canadian Coast Guard’s small vessel fleet,” Murray said.

The Canadian Coast Guard on Monday marked the delivery of the 13th and 14th search and rescue lifeboats: the CCGS Gabarus Bay and the CCGS Chedabucto Bay. The vessels were built by Hike Metal Products Ltd from Wheatley, Ontario and Chantier Naval Forillon from Gaspé, Quebec, respectively.The CCGS Chedabucto Bay will be stationed in Clark’s Harbour, Nova Scotia while the CCGS Gabarus Bay will be stationed in Burgeo, Newfoundland and Labrador.In 2018, Gaspé, Quebec’s Chantier Naval Forillon and Wheatley…

IMO announced that the Indian Ocean High Risk Area (HRA) will be removed on 01 Jan 2023. It was a rare but really reassuring example that international cooperation can be successful.Meanwhile at the time of this writing, the war in Ukraine carries on. Ukranian resistance has been bolstered by very significant western democracy support in the form of weapons supply that have done a great job of stopping Russia in its tracks. However, the Ukranian Crisis shows it is extremely difficult…

Heddle Shipyards said it has been awarded a $135.5 million dollar contract for the Vessel Life Extension (VLE) of the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Terry Fox.The nearly three-year project will involve an extensive engineering, planning and procurement phase, with shipyard work scheduled to begin in December 2023. This multi-year project will create and sustain over 200 hundred jobs at the Port Weller Dry Docks through the summer of 2025 when the CCGS Terry Fox is scheduled for redelivery.