ABS Wins Royal Canadian Navy Service Contract
Canadian Department of National Defense selects ABS for classification and certification services for its entire non-combatant fleet.
ABS, a provider of classification and technical services to the marine and offshore industries, said it has been awarded the Non-Combatant Class Society (NCCS) contract by the Canadian Department of National Defense to provide classification and certification services for the Royal Canadian Navy’s non-combatant vessel fleet.
“For many years, ABS has been actively involved with classing naval non-combatant vessels as a commitment to promoting ship safety, and vessel reliability performance and readiness,” said ABS Chairman, President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki. “It is gratifying to see our efforts rewarded with the selection of ABS to provide classification services for the Royal Canadian Navy.”
The contract establishes ABS as the classification society for all non-combatant vessels in service with the Royal Canadian Navy. The contract allows Canada to leverage ABS’s unique experience in naval non-combatant vessel design, inspection and support to operations, including the Service Life Evaluation Program (SLEP), Naval Ship Code compliance as published in the NATO Allied Naval Engineering Publication (ANEP) 77, and classification services under the ABS Guide for Building and Classing International Naval Ships, Rules for Building and Classing Steel Vessels and Rules for Building and Classing High-Speed Naval Craft.
ABS will assist the Canadian Department of National Defense in transitioning its non-combatant vessels to a Naval Materiel Regulatory framework that leverages the expertise of a renowned classification society, with the first phase of the program focusing on services for the Kingston and Orca vessel classes as well as the auxiliary fleet, which engages in tug, diving and range support operations. In support of the future fleet, ABS will also play a key role in transitioning the Harry DeWolf and Queenston class vessels into Canada’s Naval Materiel Regulatory framework to help ensure the safe and efficient operation of these vessels once delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy.
“The Department of National Defense is pleased to have concluded this contract with ABS,” says Canada’s Naval Materiel Regulatory Authority, Captain (Navy) Mark Sheppard. “We expect that our partnership with ABS will significantly enhance our ability to ensure that our non-combatant vessels are safe, fit for purpose and environmentally compliant.”
