By Mark Edward Nero
Vancouver Shipyards, a Seaspan company, has begun construction on the first ship being built under Canada's National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS), a Canadian Coast Guard offshore fisheries science vessel (OFSV).
On hand June 24 for the ceremonial steel cutting were Diane Finley, Canada’s Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Parliament members Andrew Saxton and John Weston.
It was also announced that the first ship is being named CCGS Sir John Franklin in honor of the Arctic explorer whose expeditions nearly 200 years ago laid the foundations of Canada’s claims of Arctic sovereignty.
The steel-cutting event follows the recent award of an incentive-based build contract to Vancouver Shipyards for the construction of three OFSVs, which are to be delivered together under a ceiling price of $514 million before the end of 2017. Following the completion of the OFSVs, Seaspan is expected to then build one Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel (OOSV), two Joint Support Ships (JSS), one Polar Icebreaker (PIB) as well as up to five Medium Endurance Multi-Tasked Vessels (MEMTV) and up to five Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), with more opportunities to follow in the future.
“Seaspan is changing the course of shipbuilding history on the west coast of Canada, and today's ceremony marks the most significant milestone yet for the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy,” Seaspan Shipyards President Brian Carter said. “Today is day one of many years to come of planned ship production at Vancouver Shipyards for the Canadian Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Navy.”
Thursday, June 25, 2015
