'An important milestone': Construction begins on the first Canadian Coast Guard Arctic and offshore patrol ship

Irving Shipbuilding is pictured on August 8, 2023, at the announcement that construction has officially begun on the first of two Arctic and offshore patrol ships for the Canadian Coast Guard.

Construction has officially begun on the first of two Arctic and offshore patrol ships for the Canadian Coast Guard.

In 2019, the Government of Canada announced Irving Shipbuilding Inc. would build two Arctic and offshore patrol ships for the Canadian Coast Guard, in addition to the six being built for the Royal Canadian Navy. The government says the ships will replace two of the Canadian Coast Guard’s existing five offshore patrol vessels.

"The official construction start of Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship 7, the first of two which will be delivered to the Canadian Coast Guard, is an important milestone for the Halifax Shipyard,” said Dirk Lesko, president of Irving Shipbuilding Inc., in a statement Tuesday.

“We're proud to be building this ship right here in Atlantic Canada, as part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy, in support of Canada and our Coast Guard partners."

Sean Fraser, minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, was in Halifax Tuesday to celebrate the steel cutting milestone at the Irving Shipyard.

"Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, our government is helping to restore our shipyards, rebuild our marine industry and create good Canadian jobs, including right here in Nova Scotia, while ensuring our sovereignty and protecting our interests at home and abroad," said Fraser in a statement Tuesday.

The Canadian Coast Guard’s new Arctic and offshore patrol ships will “operate as a primary platform to support fisheries enforcement missions on Canada's east coast, including Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization patrols.”

The government says the ships will also be used in search and rescue and icebreaking operations on the East Coast and are equipped to conduct scientific research and support humanitarian assistance missions.

The first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship is expected to be delivered to the Canadian Coast Guard in 2026.