Canadian shipbuilder Chantier Davie recently commenced full-rate production of new heavy icebreakers that will be operated by the Canadian Coast Guard in the Arctic.
The vessels are being constructed for the Canadian Coast Guard under an industrial collaboration between Canadian-controlled facilities in Helsinki, Finland and Lévis, Canada.
Construction on the vessel's hulls will begin at Davie’s Helsinki Shipyard while the largest proportion of the work on the vessel, and delivery of the ship to the coast guard, will be from Davie’s home facility in Lévis, which is simultaneously undergoing a CA$840 million (US$600 million) upgrade.
Davie said the hybrid build strategy will accelerate the delivery of the first ship by several years ahead of the original schedule.
The first icebreaker in the new class is scheduled for delivery to the Canadian Coast Guard by 2030.
In addition to icebreaking, the vessels will perform duties such as Arctic scientific research, maritime emergency response, and delivery of goods and services to Canada's northern communities.