British Columbia-based Seaspan Shipyards is set to build the first of two new heavy polar icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard later this year, the company revealed Aug. 21.
So far, about 80% of the functional design for the icebreaker has been completed, with production design on schedule to support cutting steel in late 2024, according to Seaspan.
When completed, the polar icebreaker is expected to be 158 meters (518 feet) long and 28 (about 92 feet) meters wide, and can accommodate up to 100 people.
“It will be able to operate farther north, in more difficult ice conditions and for longer periods than any icebreaker in Canada to date,” according to the company.
Seaspan has been building 21 icebreaker-class vessels, including the ‘Polar Class 2’ polar icebreaker, and 16 ‘Polar Class 4’ multipurpose vessel icebreakers, Seaspan Shipyards CEO John McCarthy said.
“This makes Seaspan one of the leading icebreaker builders in the world today and for decades to come,” McCarthy said. “Following our recent, successful launch of CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk, the Canadian Coast Guard’s most modern ice capable science research vessel, Seaspan is continuing to design, build and deliver highly capable Polar Class vessels which has us in an ideal position to play a major role in the ICE Pact program.”
Additionally, the Canadian Coast Guard released the names of the polar icebreakers, which are expected to be the agency’s flagship vessels and the biggest in its fleet: CCGS Arpatuuq and CCGS Imnaryuaq. These vessels will be the flagship vessels of the Coast Guard’s fleet – the first of which is expected to be built at Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards starting later this year.
