Seaspan Shipyards introduced it has accomplished building of the ‘Prototype Block’ for the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) Polar Icebreaker program. Development of this Prototype Block ensures that Seaspan has the correct processes, procedures, tools and abilities mandatory to construct the primary heavy Polar Icebreaker in Canada in additional than 60 years.
Seaspan mentioned it developed and constructed the Prototype Block to make sure that its manufacturing groups are absolutely ready to chop metal on the Polar Icebreaker in late 2024. The method of constructing the Prototype Block resulted in learnings in three key areas: enhancements in design for manufacturing; testing of recent tools, processes and procedures; and validation of first-time high quality in manufacturing to type and weld this new, specialised and thicker metal.
“Having the chance for our engineering and manufacturing groups to work collaboratively to assemble this Prototype Block very early within the design course of was helpful not solely to Seaspan, but additionally to our buyer and our cross-county provide chain. We’re all working towards the identical aim of delivering the Polar Icebreaker to the Canadian Coast Guard. Our expert trades group has now seen, felt, examined, and labored on this specialised metal, so we at the moment are higher ready to make sure that Seaspan begins full charge building with a extra mature design,” mentioned Martin Edwards, Chief Program Officer at Seaspan Shipyards.
Metal wanted to assemble the Polar Icebreaker is twice as thick in some areas because the metal Seaspan has used for the opposite ships constructed below the Nationwide Shipbuilding Technique and is more difficult to work with mixed with the tight body areas to help icebreaking capabilities. It additionally takes further time to weld, and the thicker metal shouldn’t be as malleable, subsequently developing this further Prototype Block previous to beginning full charge building was essential for our preparedness.
“The completion of the Prototype Block for our Polar Icebreaker is a vital milestone for the Canadian Coast Guard. We eagerly await its supply as this vessel will lengthen Coast Guard on-water operations and make sure the steady supply of important companies within the excessive Arctic. This consists of search and rescue, environmental and humanitarian response, supporting necessary ocean science and arctic sovereignty,” mentioned Mario Pelletier, Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard.
Seaspan has already gained important expertise designing and constructing Polar Class vessels together with three Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels which at the moment are in service with the Canadian Coast Guard; an Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel that’s at the moment below building at its Vancouver Shipyards location; and a category of as much as sixteen Multi-Function Vessels (additionally Polar Class) that’s at the moment in design.
Designed to function within the Arctic’s ice-covered waters, the Polar Icebreaker will play a important function in enabling the Canadian Coast Guard to transit and function on greater than 162,000 km of Arctic shoreline. The capabilities of the Polar Icebreaker will assist maintain a year-round presence in Canada’s North in help of Indigenous Peoples and different northern communities, Arctic sovereignty, high-Arctic science (together with local weather change analysis), and the flexibility to answer main maritime emergencies together with search and rescue.
With Canada’s present largest Icebreaker, the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent, set to retire on the finish of the last decade after 60 years of service, the brand new Polar Icebreaker can be one of many world’s largest and strongest typical icebreakers. With a displacement of 27,876 tonnes, the Polar Icebreaker can be 158 meters lengthy and 28 meters broad, and capable of accommodate as much as 100 personnel. Will probably be capable of function farther north, in tougher ice situations and for longer durations than any icebreaker in Canada to this point.
