Canadian Coast Guard celebrates new Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships shipbuilding milestones

HALIFAX, NS, July 31, 2024 /CNW/ - The Canadian Coast Guard serves Canadians everyday by protecting lives and the environment, and supporting the safe movement of goods in our waterways. The renewal of its fleet ensures the Canadian Coast Guard can continue to carry out its important work for years to come, while supporting innovation and creating new shipbuilding jobs from coast to coast to coast.

Today, Darren Fisher, Member of Parliament for Dartmouth-Cole Harbour, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, was at Irving Shipbuilding Inc. in Halifax, Nova Scotia, to celebrate significant construction milestones for the Canadian Coast Guard's two new Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships and to announce their selected names.

A keel laying ceremony was held for the first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship, the CCGS Donjek Glacier. The keel laying marks the moment when the first constructed module, or block, is placed in position and the ship begins to take form. Additionally, a ceremony to signify the start of construction was held for the second Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship, the CCGS Sermilik Glacier.

The Canadian Coast Guard's new versatile and ice-capable ships will support fisheries enforcement and surveillance missions on Canada's east coast, including Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization patrols. They will also support offshore search and rescue and icebreaking operations in Arctic and southern waters, strengthening Canada's presence in the Arctic.

In addition to their primary missions, the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships will be able to support environmental response and aids to navigation maintenance, allowing greater flexibility and adaptability for the Canadian Coast Guard's operations. Outfitted with science equipment and a medical facility onboard, these modern ships will also be able to conduct scientific research and support humanitarian assistance missions.

The two ships are being built under the National Shipbuilding Strategy. Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, the Government of Canada continues to make significant investments in modernizing the Canadian Coast Guard fleet while creating skilled jobs in Canada's shipbuilding and marine industries.

Quotes

"These milestones underscore the Government of Canada's dedication to continuously sustain and enhance the Canadian Coast Guard's maritime capabilities. We are proud to stand ready to meet future challenges, supporting the well-being of all Canadians and creating skilled jobs in our shipbuilding and marine industries across the country."

The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

"Canadians are deeply proud of our Coast Guard personnel and we're working to ensure they have everything they need to protect Canada's marine environment while ensuring our country's sovereignty by maintaining a strong presence in our waters — especially in the Arctic. Proudly built by Nova Scotia's shipbuilders along the shores of Halifax Harbour, the CCGS Donjek Glacier and the CCGS Sermilik Glacier will support countless operations and missions in the coming years."

Darren Fisher, Member of Parliament for Dartmouth-Cole Harbour

"Today's ceremonies underscore our government's steadfast commitment to equipping the Canadian Coast Guard with the modern ships it needs to do its important missions. Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, which prioritizes Canadian-built ships, we are bolstering our maritime capabilities and generating high-value jobs across our marine sector and supply chain. This strategic investment not only ensures the Canadian Coast Guard can continue safeguarding lives, protecting our environment and facilitating safe maritime trade but also fosters innovation and creates new shipbuilding opportunities from coast to coast to coast."

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

"Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, Canada continues to achieve significant milestones for the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships project, while strengthening our marine industry and creating good jobs for Canadians. Today's announcement is a big step toward providing our Canadian Coast Guard members with new, advanced vessels to accomplish their missions on Canadian waters."

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services and Procurement

"The keel laying and start of construction for the CCGS Donjek Glacier and the CCGS Sermilik Glacier are important milestones and further proof points that the National Shipbuilding Strategy is working. The 2,400 shipbuilders of the Halifax Shipyard are proud to be building these multi-functional ships, which will serve the Canadian Coast Guard well for decades to come."

Dirk Lesko, President, Irving Shipbuilding Inc. 

"Today's construction ceremonies represent an important milestone in renewing the Canadian Coast Guard fleet. It is a great day knowing we are one step closer to having these two modern and versatile ships join our fleet, ensuring we can continue to keep mariners safe and protect the marine environment across the Atlantic and Canadian Arctic."

Mario Pelletier, Commissioner, Canadian Coast Guard

Quick Facts

• As part of the ceremonial event, a commemorative coin was placed in a cut-out near the keel of the CCGS Donjek Glacier. In maritime tradition, the coin is thought to bring good luck to the ship and its crew.
  
  
• The Canadian Coast Guard's Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships project will contribute more than $125M annually to Canada's GDP, and create or maintain close to 1,250 jobs annually in the Canadian shipbuilding industry over the 2022-2030 period.
  
  
• The CCGS Donjek Glacier is named after the Donjek Glacier, located in Kluane National Park in Yukon. Donjek is a Southern Tutchone word meaning "white or silver berries." The CCGS Sermilik Glacier is named after the Sermilik Glacier, located in Sirmilik National Park in Nunavut. Sermilik is an Inuit word meaning "place of glaciers."
• In May 2019, the Government of Canada announced that, as part of an investment to renew the Canadian Coast Guard fleet, Irving Shipbuilding Inc. would build two Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships for the Canadian Coast Guard, in addition to the six being built for the Royal Canadian Navy. The ships will be adapted to the Canadian Coast Guard's needs, including modifications to the bridge layout, accommodations, and mission spaces.
  
  
• The Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships will replace two of the Canadian Coast Guard's existing five Offshore Patrol Vessels. The vessels will be 103 metres long, 19 metres wide, with approximately 6,677 metric tonnes of displacement.
  
  
• As of the end of 2023, over $26.5 billion in National Shipbuilding Strategy-related contracts have been awarded to businesses throughout the country. Of this amount, $5.38 billion is related to contracts for the Canadian Coast Guard.

Related products

• Backgrounder: Canadian Coast Guard's Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships
• News Release: Construction officially begins on the first Canadian Coast Guard Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship

Associated links

• Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships: Canadian Coast Guard
• The Canadian Coast Guard Fleet
• The National Shipbuilding Strategy
• Start Your Career with the Canadian Coast Guard

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SOURCE Canadian Coast Guard

Contacts: Gabriel Bourget, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, [email protected]; Media Relations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 613-990-7537, [email protected]