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…