LEVIS, QC, May 1st, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - With today's arrival of the accommodation block, the construction of Canada's next naval supply ship is entering its final stages before delivery later this year.
While presenting the Resolve-Class AOR at the NATO Working Group on Maritime Logistics and Replenishment-At-Sea in the Hague (Holland) last week, Spencer Fraser, CEO of Federal Fleet Services, explained that building the accommodation module in Europe by world-leading marine accommodation specialists Almaco, has ensured a transfer of technology and skills to Davie Shipbuilding for future programs. It also makes use of the modern production assembly method involving offsite modular fabrication which is now being used on most modern naval shipbuilding programs, such as the UK aircraft carrier program.
"While 85% of the entire project was completed in Canada, the approximately 15% we outsourced to Finland was in an area where Canada is no longer at the cutting edge and that is in marine accommodation outfitting. Through the partnership with Almaco, there is a technology transfer which will result in the development of a new production line at Davie dedicated to the fabrication of pre-outfitted accommodation modules for future programs.," explained Fraser.
Alex Vicefield, Chairman of Davie Shipbuilding added, "This is not just about allowing us to meet the fast-track schedule to deliver Canada an urgently-needed naval supply ship. This is about developing a new set of skills which doesn't currently exist in the Canadian shipbuilding industry. It is also a perfect demonstration of how shipbuilding programs can be delivered rapidly and at a significantly lower cost by building ship sections at different sites for assembly at a central location – something which all shipbuilding programs in Canada should be adopting. I am very proud that we are delivering a world-class, full specification naval auxiliary replenishment ship at a fraction of the cost of other similar vessels and in such a short time frame."
Vesa Lehtonen, the Ambassador to Finland in Canada commented, "The partnership between Federal Fleet Services, Chantier Davie Canada and the Finnish ALMACO is an excellent example of the potential of the economic relations between Finland, the Province of Quebec and Canada. The delivery of the accommodation unit for Canada's Resolve-Class AOR is the first step in this successful cooperation. Overall, the maritime sector offers plenty of opportunities for trade and investments between our two countries."
The conversion of Asterix into a Resolve-Class AOR involves stripping the modern vessel down to its bare hull and main propulsion system and then rebuilding the entire ship to military specifications. The conversion was designed and engineered in Canada and incorporates the best in Canadian naval technology such as an Integrated Navigation and Tactical Bridge System from OSI in Vancouver, a STREAM-type Replenishment-At-Sea system from Hepburn Engineering in Ontario and an entire Integrated Platform Management System from L3 Mapps in Montreal.
Over the coming days, Davie workers and Mammoet Canada will commence the lifting operation of the accommodation block onto m/v Asterix.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
Chantier Davie Canada Inc. – voted North American Shipyard of the Year (2015) by Lloyds List.
Davie is Canada's award-winning, largest and highest capacity shipyard and industrial fabricator. Davie provides a broad range of products and services to industries from offshore oil & gas to defence. Newly certified to ISO 9001:2015 and to ISO 14001:2015, Davie leverages its high capacity fabrication facilities with its advanced project management and engineering capability to manage end-to-end construction projects and provide best-practice through life solutions to its corporate and governmental clients. Having signed a 5-year agreement with their union in the summer 2016, Davie offers its current and future clients a qualified and motivated workforce. Over the past three years Davie has had a $2.03bn economic impact on the Canadian economy.
SOURCE Davie Shipbuilding
Nancee Filteau, Tel: +1-418-837-5841 #2110, [email protected]; Marie-Christine St-Pierre, TACT Intelligence-conseil, 418-529-3223 #222, [email protected]
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