Polar icebreakers
The polar icebreakers will:
- replace Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Louis S. St-Laurent to become Canada’s most powerful conventional icebreakers
- be among the most powerful conventional icebreakers in the world
- enable Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) to ensure a year-round presence in Canada’s North in support of Indigenous Peoples and other northerners, Arctic sovereignty, high Arctic science, including climate change research, as well as the ability to respond to major maritime emergencies
Artist concept of new polar icebreaker
Project at a glance
- Shipyards
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1 vessel to be built by Seaspan Shipyards (VSY)
1 vessel to be built by Chantier Davie Canada Inc. (CDCI)
- Project status
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Design phase
- Number of vessels to be built
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2
- Project budget
-
To be determined once the procurement process is decided
Current status
In July 2021, Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards began work to support the assessment and optimization of the design, planning work and begin preparation for comprehensive construction engineering for the polar icebreaker program.
Construction Engineering and Long Lead Items contracts awarded in December 2022.
As a result of successful negotiations, Canada entered into an Umbrella Agreement with Chantier Davie on April 4, 2023. Contract negotiations are underway with Chantier Davie to support the construction of the second Polar Icebreaker for the Canadian Coast Guard.
In May 2023, VSY cut steel on a ‘prototype block’ for the Polar Icebreaker, marking a critical step in the shipyard’s work on the project.
The year ahead
VSY will continue to advance the design work for one of the two Polar Icebreakers.
Canada will initiate discussions on design work with CDCI for the other Polar Icebreaker. The exact build schedule and cost will be negotiated and finalized during the individual contract negotiations.
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