Canada looks to charter research vessel as it awaits $1B replacement ship

The Canadian Coast Guard is looking to charter a research ship for up to five years while it waits for a new $1-billion offshore oceanographic science vessel to be built under the national shipbuilding program.

The coast guard says it's being prudent.

"Having a backup plan in case another pandemic hits or something else I think is always good sound management. So that's why we've put that insurance policy into place," assistant commissioner Gary Ivany said in an interview after an event in Sambro, N.S.

Ottawa has issued a request for information to industry to charter an "interim science vessel" on the East Coast for 2023 to 2026, with an option for two more years.

The coast guard intended to keep the offshore science ship CCGS Hudson in service until its replacement was ready. But a catastrophic motor failure last fall forced it to abandon that plan. The 59-year-old Hudson was officially retired earlier this year.

Construction of a new offshore oceanographic science vessel for the East Coast has started at the Seaspan shipyard in Vancouver. It is currently estimated to cost $995 million.

Delivery is now expected in 2025.

"Steel-cutting is underway. Work is progressing well. Long lead items have been purchased. So we're very confident in the timelines as they stand today," Ivany said.

Seaspan declined to provide an estimated delivery date for the offshore oceanographic science ship.

Spokesperson Adam D'Agostino says the company has been impacted by COVID-19, but has been able to keep its shipyard open and operational.

"We are continuing working closely with the coast guard and the navy to mitigate the impact of COVID on our programs and vessel delivery schedules," D'Agostino said.

Caution is justified, says Timothy Choi, a shipbuilding expert at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.

Choi says shipbuilding around the world has been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and delayed supply chains.

"Even the Chinese with their incredibly massive amounts of human resources, they're delaying their naval shipbuilding, which is unprecedented in terms of their construction rates. So nobody's immune to this. And the fact that the coast guard is putting out this interim proposal at this point tells us that they are well aware of that," Choi said.