Canadian shipbuilder Irving is making good progress on construction of the first of two Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessels (AOPVs) destined for the Canadian Coast Guard.
In recent days, the masts and parts of the bow of the future CCGS Donjek — together weighing a little short of 300 metric tonnes — have arrived at its Halifax Shipyard.
As per a recent social media post, the next steps will see the freshly-painted bow block section, now in the firm’s Module Hall, rolled alongside the recently formed grand block later this year.
The C$2.1 billion (£1.15bn) programme is expected to see the future CCGS Donjek delivered during 2026 and her sister vessel, the future CCGS Sermilik, completed and handed over the following year. Both vessels are named after Canadian glaciers.
Building work on CCGS Donjek started in August 2023 and her keel was laid in July 2024. Work on CCGS Sermilik started the same month. The ships will be 103 metres long, 19 metres wide, and displace just over 6,650 metric tonnes.
The Coast Guard AOPVs are being built to a slightly modified design compared to the six Harry DeWolf-class ships of the Royal Canadian Navy. (Five of the RCN vessels are already in active service and the final unit, RCS Robert Hampton Gray, has been launched and is being fitted out, with sea trials set to start this month).
The CCGS ships will feature a different bridge layout, accommodations for a non-military crew, various items of dedicated coast guard equipment and some deck modifications. They will carry science equipment and an onboard medical facility, making them able to conduct scientific research and support humanitarian assistance missions.
A Canadian Government press statement said the CCGSships will “be dedicated to a range of critical missions, including North Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) patrols and will operate as the primary conservation and protection enforcement vessels on Canada’s east coast, replacing existing Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) offshore patrol vessels.”
They will also “have ice-capable functionality that will allow the CCG to expand its patrol capability into the low Arctic.”
The CCGS AOPVs will also support offshore search and rescue and icebreaking operations in Arctic and southern waters as well as environmental response and aid-to-navigation maintenance missions.
- You can read more details on the Government of Canada website