Canada contracts Heddle Shipyards for CCGC Griffon refit

The Government of Canada has awarded a contract of CA$4 million to Heddle Shipyards in Hamilton, Ontario, for refit work on the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Griffon.

Built in 1970, CCGS Griffon is a high-endurance multi-tasked vessel that performs light icebreaking and buoy-tending operations essential to keeping Canadian waters open and safe for marine traffic.

The 2,212 GT CCGS Griffon provides icebreaking services primarily on Lake Ontario, on Lake Erie and along the St. Lawrence River to Montréal, Quebec. The vessel’s home port is located at the Canadian Coast Guard Base in Prescott, Ontario.

Specifically, the refit work will include regulatory inspections and certifications; maintenance of structural items and various equipment, including propulsion; as well as the replacement and repair of various compartments, decks, and communication and navigation equipment.

The work under this contract is expected to run from August to October 2020.

The contract has been awarded under the country’s National Shipbuilding Strategy, a long-term project to renew Canada’s federal fleet of combat and non-combat vessels.

“In shipyards across the country, the National Shipbuilding Strategy is guiding work to build, repair and maintain Canada’s fleets. We are proud to support the brave and essential members of the Canadian Coast Guard, while creating jobs and strengthening economies in communities across the country,” Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, commented.

“This refit contract will ensure the CCGS Griffon continues to fulfill critical icebreaking operations, essential to keeping our maritime trade going all year round,” Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, said.