Seaspan to build new polar icebreaker for Canadian Coast Guard

Canadian shipbuilder Seaspan Shipyards has been awarded the construction contract to build one of the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) new heavy polar icebreakers.

The polar icebreaker will be built entirely in Canada at Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards, located in North Vancouver, British Columbia.

With the contract now in place, Seaspan is ready to cut steel on this ship and begin full-rate construction on Canada’s newest vessel under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS).

The new polar icebreaker will be the seventh vessel designed and built by Seaspan under the NSS. It will also be the fifth Polar-class vessel to be built for the CCG and one of up to 21 icebreaking vessels overall that Seaspan is constructing.

Construction of this ship will support the work of a team of more than 1,000 local shipbuilders and a broad Canadian supply chain of over 800 Canadian companies, according to Seaspan.

The functional design of the polar icebreaker was completed in 2024. The polar icebreaker will be 158 meters long and 28 meters wide, with a design displacement of 26,036 tons.

Highlights of key design features include:

• IACS Polar Class 2 (PC2) Heavy Icebreaker;
• More than 40MW of installed power;
• Ice-classed azimuthing propulsion system;
• Complex, multi-role mission capability;
• Scientific laboratories;
• Moon pool (to allow for safe deployment of equipment from within the ship);
• Helicopter flight deck and hangar;
• Vehicle garage and future remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) capability.

Building this “complex and densely outfitted multi-mission” ship will mark the first time a polar icebreaker has been built in Canada in more than 60 years and will have more advanced capabilities than the CCG’s current heavy icebreakers.

Seaspan noted that, once delivered, this made-in-Canada heavy polar icebreaker will be one of the most advanced and capable icebreakers in the entire world.

The official start of construction for this new heavy polar icebreaker is scheduled for April 2025.

“The contract awarded to Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards for the build of a new polar icebreaker is a significant step forward for Canada’s economic and natural resource sectors. This advanced vessel will not only ensure safe and efficient navigation in our polar regions but also support the sustainable development of our natural resources. By enhancing our icebreaking capabilities, we are opening new opportunities for economic growth, scientific research and environmental stewardship,” Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and MP for North Vancouver, said.

“The National Shipbuilding Strategy is providing the Canadian Coast Guard with its fleet of the future. The polar icebreaker to be built by Vancouver Shipyards will be able to operate in the Arctic year-round, further bolstering our ability to deliver crucial services to Northern communities and support Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic,” Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, added.

To remind, last March, Seaspan was awarded the construction engineering (CE) and long lead items (LLI) contracts for the pre-construction work of the Canadian Coast Guard’s first six multi-purpose vessels (MPVs).