Seaspan — owner of Vancouver and Victoria Shipyards — is marking a milestone this week by completing a $170-million modernization of its infrastructure that will allow it to build large federal vessels for at least the next 20 years.
“We have built a state-of-the-art shipyard right here in North Vancouver, tailor-made to support Seaspan’s role as the con-combat capability provider to the Government of Canada’s National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy,” Jonathan Whitworth, Seaspan chief executive officer, said in a statement.
The company staged a celebration in North Vancouver for about 400 people, including officials and workers, on Thursday.
The bulk of $11.3-billion worth of ship construction work will take place in the North Vancouver shipyard. Ships will then be brought to Victoria Shipyards in Esquimalt for final trials, testing and commissioning prior to delivery.
Construction started on the first federal ship in late October at Vancouver Shipyard. The program, which includes a Polar icebreaker, is kicking off with construction of three Canadian Coast Guard offshore fisheries science vessels.
That first ship is scheduled to be ready in summer 2016.
Full production of new federal ships will be underway by spring 2015.
While most of the modernization money was spent in North Vancouver, $15 million is being invested at Victoria Shipyards, largely on a new operational centre. Work is to be finished by the end of December.
Seaspan’s North Vancouver facilities include the largest permanent gantry crane in the country, four new fabrication buildings and a new load-out pier, said Brian Carter, president of Seaspan Shipyards.
One-quarter of infrastructure construction was performed by First Nations joint-venture companies, Seaspan said.
Federal ship building is expected to create 5,000 direct and indirect jobs in B.C.
Marine and shipbuilding- related training is already offered at Camosun College, which is enhancing its facilities with a new $30-million-plus trades education and innovation complex in Saanich. As well, the Industrial Marine Training and Applied Research Centre near the Esquimalt Graving Dock has been established to support B.C.’s shipbuilding and marine industry.
