Government of Canada press release
Today, the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, and the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, announced that the Government of Canada has awarded a contract of $453.8 million (taxes included) to Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards to enable the company to transition the offshore oceanographic science vessel (OOSV) project from the design phase to full construction.
Construction of the OOSV will begin in spring 2021, with delivery expected in 2024.
The OOSV will replace the CCGS Hudson, the Canadian Coast Guard’s oldest and largest science vessel. The vessel will be capable of performing multiple tasks, including oceanographic, geological and hydrographic survey missions. This work will contribute to Canada’s understanding of oceans and the impacts of climate change.
The Government of Canada remains firmly committed to implementing the NSS and delivering important benefits for Canadian shipyards and suppliers across Canada. This contract is expected to create or sustain more than 700 jobs annually.
Quick facts
- Under the NSS, Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards is building the OOSV and up to 16 multi-purpose vessels for the Canadian Coast Guard, as well as two joint support ships for the Royal Canadian Navy.
- Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards recently delivered the third and last of three offshore fisheries science vessels to the Canadian Coast Guard, marking the completion of the first class of large ships built and delivered under the NSS.
- This new and modern OOSV will be able to respond to the Government of Canada’s oceanographic scientific research requirements for the next 30 years.
- The new OOSV will replace the CCGS Hudson as the Coast Guard’s primary East Coast ocean science research vessel. The service life of the CCGS Hudson is planned to end in 2024, at which point the ship will be approximately 60 years old and decommissioned.
- As of the end of December 2020, the Government of Canada has awarded approximately $17.34 billion of NSS-related contracts across the country. Of this value, approximately $5.65 billion, or 32.58%, has been awarded to companies in Western Canada, including small or medium-sized enterprises with less than 250 full-time employees.
- The Industrial and Regional Benefits (IRB) Policy will be applied to this procurement. The IRB Policy applies to contracts awarded under the NSS, requiring contractors to invest 100% of their contract’s value in Canada’s economy.
- In addition, the NSS Value Proposition requires that Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards make investments in the greater Canadian marine industry equal to 0.5% of the value of the contracts it receives under the Strategy. These investments must be directed to the three priority areas: human resources development, technology investment and industrial development.
