(LEVIS, Quebec) — Chantier Davie Canada announced Monday that it has been awarded its first National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) contract by the government of Canada for the design of the six-ship fleet of the nation’s future program icebreakers.
This milestone marks the beginning of Davie’s NSS work package to replenish Canada’s Arctic fleet. Each initiative under the contract will help advance upcoming design, construction, delivery and support phases for these strategic ships.
“This first contract awarded to Chantier Davie under the National Shipbuilding Strategy brings us a step closer to providing the Canadian Coast Guard with the next-generation Arctic ships,” said Jean-Yves Duclos, Canada’s minister of Public Services and Procurement (PSPC). “They will be among the most advanced, sustainable and durable vessels tailored to the world’s harshest environments. The new fleet will be symbolic of Canada’s Arctic presence and crucial to keeping our country open for business year-round.”
“This is a momentous first step in our journey to deliver a fleet of the largest and most advanced icebreakers ever built in and for Canada,” said Davie President and CEO James Davies. “My heartfelt thanks go to the dedicated teams at Davie, the Canadian Coast Guard and PSPC. They have spent countless hours preparing for this historic milestone. Now, we can’t wait to get working on renewing Canada’s Arctic fleet.”
Davie will establish a program icebreaker project management and design office, providing opportunities for current and future generations of Canadian shipbuilders. Davie is committed to recruiting teams of highly skilled shipbuilding professionals, who will drive all aspects of constructing the world’s largest order book of heavy icebreakers.
Moreover, Davie will engage critical subcontractors to design and certify the vessel to established safety, environmental and performance standards.
“Embarking on the design and construction of Canada’s new icebreaker fleet is a great source of pride for everyone at Davie,” said Julian Kenney, program director for the program icebreakers at Davie. “We have a strong partnership with the Canadian Coast Guard and our top priority is to design and build the icebreakers Canada needs to keep our waterways open, protect our environment, and secure the Arctic.”
Davie became a partner in the National Shipbuilding Strategy in April 2023. The initial $8.5 billion package of work includes seven heavy icebreakers and two large hybrid-powered ferries. Davie is a part of Group Davie, which in November 2023 acquired Finland’s Helsinki Shipyard, a world leader in icebreaker design and construction.
– Chantier Davie Canada
