More vacancy for vessels at key dry dock
Standing in the middle of a giant concrete basin on a rainy winter's day, Eugene Yeung, a project manager with Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), felt an immense sense of pride and satisfaction. He and his team were nearing the end of an historic project to expand a section of the Esquimalt Graving Dock.
Built nearly 100 years ago, the Esquimalt Graving Dock on Vancouver Island is the largest non-military dry dock on the west coast of the Americas and the largest in Canada. The word "graving" refers to cleaning or repairing ships, and this vital piece of infrastructure provides space to carry out these activities. In fact, the Esquimalt Graving Dock, which is owned by the federal government, represents over half of Canada's Pacific dry dock capacity. Serving the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Coast Guard fleets, its world-class ship repair and maintenance facilities are also rented out to a variety of public and private users.
An extension of the dry dock was required due to its layout and changes in modern ship design. The dock is divided into 3 sections of different lengths, with vessels accommodated in them by size. As vessels are getting longer, some were taking up part of a second space. Extending section 3 by 36 metres means that the dock can accommodate the largest vessels there, leaving section 2 fully available to service other ships.
With this extension project, PSPC is contributing to the dock's continued success and efficiency, and also providing better options for our clients.
Going big with a dig
Making room for the dock extension required significant excavation, which involved more than might be apparent on the surface. There were pieces of timber, scrap metals and other materials mixed in with the rock. So the project team had to sort the waste and send each type to the right disposal facility while stockpiling rock for future use. An expert from the nearby Songhees First Nation was also present during the excavation to screen the debris in case any artifacts of cultural value to the community were uncovered.
Once the area was cleared, marine-grade concrete was poured over steel reinforcements to form the floor and walls of the new part of the dry dock. “Overall, it was a bit like extending an inground pool,” says Yeung.
The dry dock was also in need of repairs, such as applying new concrete in areas where there had been deterioration over time, and this work was carried out in section 3 alongside the extension efforts.
Construction at a working dock
Delivering this project while the dry dock remained operational added a unique layer of complexity. “Sometimes, we had to stop what we were doing to allow vessels to enter working parts of the dry dock. We always shared our plans with Rainczak’s operational team and coordinated our schedules,” Yeung explains.
"My goal was to keep the dock operating without holding up the project, so the extension could be finished as soon as possible, "adds Rainczak. That took negotiation and foresight, but everyone was aware that delays would have a negative impact on the operations of the dock and the marine industry, as dock space is reserved years in advance and bookings had been rescheduled for the extension. Other challenges, like concrete shortages, were tackled proactively by the project partners, with the goal of avoiding setbacks.
Milestones, present and future
Work at the site began in late 2021, and the first ship docked in the extended section in February 2023.
I’m eager to see the benefits of this project in action as we start using the extended dock. The Esquimalt Graving Dock is a very unique facility. The navy relies on it heavily because the dock offers specialized equipment and is located next to the Pacific Coast naval base. At the same time, as it’s an open-access dry dock, other shipyards can offer repair services here and employ people. Between the dry dock and the jetties around it, there can be 3,000 people working on ships each day, so improvements are good for Canadians.
The project’s final touches will be added in the spring of 2023. The remaining work centres on creating walkways at the top of the dock that are required for the movement of personnel and equipment. Meanwhile, plans are underway to repair the concrete in the other dry dock sections in the coming years.
We invite you to learn more about the Esquimalt Graving Dock or watch this video about the East end dock extension project. To read other articles about PSPC people and projects, check out Our stories.
Page details
- Date modified: