Government of Canada strengthens Canadian Coast Guard's icebreaker fleet with arrival of second interim icebreaker from Davie Shipbuilding

LÉVIS, QC, Nov. 23, 2020 /CNW/ - The Canadian Coast Guard saves lives at sea, protects the marine environment, supports Canadian sovereignty and security, and maintains shipping routes to keep our economy moving. Ensuring the Coast Guard has reliable, and modern equipment is essential to keeping our waterways safe and open for business. Through its icebreaking program, the Canadian Coast Guard supports safe marine traffic in or around ice-covered waters, ensuring goods and services are delivered to all Canadians.

Davie Shipyard workers and members of the Canadian Coast Guard highlighting the delivery of CCGS Jean Goodwill in Lévis, Quebec. (CNW Group/Canadian Coast Guard)

Today, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, and Mario Pelletier, Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard marked the delivery of the CCGS Jean Goodwill, the second of three medium interim icebreakers to join the fleet after completing refit and conversion work at Davie Shipbuilding in Lévis, Quebec. The work was completed under the National Shipbuilding Strategy's third pillar for vessel repair, refit, and maintenance. The work on the three medium interim icebreakers helped directly create and maintain upwards of 450 good-paying middle class jobs.

The CCGS Jean Goodwill is named in honour of the late Jean Goodwill, an Officer of the Order of Canada. Goodwill was a Cree nurse from the community of Little Pine Nation in Saskatchewan who in 1954, became Saskatchewan's first Indigenous woman to finish a nursing program. Goodwill is also a founding member of the Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada and a contemporary pioneer of public health services for Indigenous peoples.

The conversion work and refit completed on the CCGS Jean Goodwill included enhancing icebreaking capabilities and endurance, upgrading the propulsion control system, navigation and communication electronics, improvements to the galley and increased crew accommodation capacity.

The National Shipbuilding Strategy is providing the Canadian Coast Guard with the ships it needs to make sure our waters are safer, cleaner and healthier for all Canadians. The CCGS Jean Goodwill, along with its sister ships, CCGS Captain Molly Kool and the future CCGS Vincent Massey will support icebreaking operations while new ships are being built and the existing fleet undergoes repairs and planned maintenance periods. The CCGS Jean Goodwill will be based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and is expected to start assisting icebreaking operations in early 2021. 

Quotes

"Today we are honoured to welcome the CCGS Jean Goodwill to our growing Coast Guard fleet. Congratulations to Davie Shipbuilding and their incredible employees for all the hard work to bring this ship into service. This icebreaker, and the dedicated officers aboard, will provide essential services to Canadians by keeping our waters safe and our marine commercial routes open for business." 

The Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

"Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, the Government of Canada is equipping the Canadian Coast Guard with safe, effective vessels to carry out its important work in Canada's waterways. The delivery of the CCGS Jean Goodwill at the start of the icebreaking season will ensure the safe passage of marine traffic, while continuing to maintain jobs and generate economic benefits for Canadians."

The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement

"Thank you to the workers at Davie for their formidable work on the CCGS Jean Goodwill. It is a source of great pride for all of us. This icebreaker will proudly serve Canada, ensuring the safe navigation of vessel traffic, the delivery of essential supplies and the transportation of our Coast Guard to remote areas of Canada for decades to come.

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, President of the Treasury Board

"Icebreakers are an essential component of the Canadian Coast Guard fleet and are fundamental to ensure safe navigation, prevent ice jams and flooding, and maintain shipping routes in Canadian waters . With the delivery of CCGS Jean Goodwill, today marks an important step in providing our members the equipment they need to continue to deliver icebreaking services from coast to coast to coast. The CCGS Jean Goodwill will bring much needed capacity while our existing ships are undergoing maintenance and repair work."

Mario Pelletier, Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard

"Davie, our workforce and suppliers are proud to deliver CCGS Jean Goodwill to our valued partner. As the first full conversion in the three-ship medium icebreaker program, Jean Goodwill will now serve Canada with distinction alongside CCGS Captain Molly Kool. The MIB program is the single biggest addition of icebreaking capacity in a generation, directly generating up to 450 well-paid jobs. As a pre-qualified National Shipbuilding Strategy partner, Davie will be a generational icebreaking collaborator with Canada. Our National Icebreaker Centre will create a fleet of ultra-modern, versatile ships to manage Canada's domestic, geopolitical and climate priorities."

James Davies, President and Chief Executive Officer, Davie Shipbuilding

Quick Facts 

• In August 2018, the Government of Canada, on behalf of the Canadian Coast Guard, awarded Chantier Davie a $610 million contract for the acquisition of three icebreakers and work to prepare the first ship for service in the Canadian Coast Guard.
• The first of the three icebreakers, CCGS Captain Molly Kool, entered into service in late 2018. The third icebreaker, CCGS Vincent Massey, is expected to join the fleet in 2021.
• The three icebreakers will be part of the national Coast Guard fleet which carries out icebreaking duties in Atlantic Canada, the St. Lawrence and the Great Lakes during the winter, and in the Arctic during the summer. In addition to icebreaking, the vessels will support other Coast Guard programs, such as search and rescue and environmental response.
• The National Shipbuilding Strategy is a long-term commitment to domestic shipbuilding that is not just about building ships; it is about revitalizing and re-invigorating a world-class marine industry that supports Canadian technological innovation and brings jobs and prosperity to many communities across the country.

Related Products:

• Government of Canada awards contract to enhance Canadian Coast Guard icebreaking capability, securing middle class jobs in Quebec
• Backgrounder CCGS Jean Goodwill
• Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard marks the delivery of the CCGS Jean Goodwill
• Ministers Jordan and Duclos welcome CCGS Jean Goodwill into Canadian Coast Guard's icebreaker fleet

Backgrounder

Canadian Coast Guard Medium Interim Icebreakers

Icebreakers are an essential component of the Canadian Coast Guard fleet and are fundamental to ensure safe navigation, prevent ice jams and flooding, and maintain shipping routes in Canadian waters. From December to May, Coast Guard icebreakers operate in Atlantic Canada, on the St. Lawrence River, and the Great Lakes. They also operate in the Arctic from May to November to ensure safe navigation in Arctic waters and facilitate the escort of ships to resupply and refuel northern communities. In addition to icebreaking, these vessels are equipped to support other Coast Guard programs such as search and rescue, aids to navigation and environmental response.

In August 2018, the Government of Canada awarded a contract to Chantier Davie Canada Inc. of Lévis, Quebec for the acquisition of three medium interim icebreakers. These three icebreakers were acquired to supplement the Coast Guard's existing fleet during vessel life extension and repair periods, by providing continuous on-water capability during scheduled maintenance periods while new ships are being built under the National Shipbuilding Strategy. Prior to entering the Coast Guard fleet, all three vessels were scheduled to undergo conversion and refit work at Chantier Davie Canada Inc.

Two of the three icebreakers have been delivered to the Canadian Coast Guard, CCGS Captain Molly Kool and CCGS Jean Goodwill, with the third icebreaker, CCGS Vincent Massey, expected in 2021.

About the medium interim icebreakers

• The icebreakers measure 93.7 metres in length and 18 metres in width. The vessels have 18,278 horsepower, and are equipped with twin propellers and twin rudders behind, providing the vessel with a high degree of manoeuvrability.
• The vessels have a cruising speed of 12 knots, a maximum speed of 16 knots, and can maintain a speed of 3 knots through ice up to 1 metre thick.
• All three icebreakers are equipped with a removable towing notch, located at the rear of the vessel. This notch greatly enhances the vessel's icebreaking capabilities and these icebreakers are the first in the fleet to have this unique capability.

Naming of the medium interim icebreakers

In accordance with the Canadian Coast Guard ship naming policy, the three icebreakers were named to honour Canadian leaders who have made significant contributions to Canada.

MIB#1: CCGS Captain Molly Kool

The CCGS Captain Molly Kool is named after Captain Myrtle 'Molly' Kool, the first woman in North America to attain the certification of Master of a Cargo Steamship in the Home Trade.

The CCGS Captain Molly Kool was accepted into the Coast Guard fleet in December 2018, and its homeport is in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

MIB#2: CCGS Jean Goodwill

The CCGS Jean Goodwill was named in honour of Jean Goodwill, one of the founding members of the Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada and a champion of public health services for Indigenous peoples.

CCGS Jean Goodwill joined the Coast Guard fleet in November 2020 and its homeport is in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

MIB#3: CCGS Vincent Massey

The CCGS Vincent Massey is named after the first Canadian appointed to the post of Governor General, which until then was occupied by British-born individuals. The Right Honourable Vincent Massey was appointed Governor General on the recommendation of then Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent.

The CCGS Vincent Massey's homeport will be in Quebec City, Quebec, and it is expected to join the Coast Guard fleet in 2021.

November 2020

Associated Links

• Canadian Coast Guard's latest icebreakers
• Canadian Coast Guard Fleet
• National Shipbuilding Strategy
• Canadian Coast Guard careers

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SOURCE Canadian Coast Guard

Jane Deeks, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, 343-550-9594, [email protected]; Media Relations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 613-990-7537, [email protected]

Related Links

https://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/