Image source, Canada Coast Guard Social Media
St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador – In a commitment to fortify the safety and efficiency of Canada’s maritime operations, the Government of Canada, through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, is investing $34.3 million in the conversion and refit of the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Judy LaMarsh. The announcement was made today by the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard, alongside the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development.
The contract, awarded following a competitive process, has been awarded to St. John’s Dockyard Ltd. (Newdock) and is expected to generate up to 80 highly skilled and well-paying jobs in the region. Work on the vessel commenced in December 2023 and is scheduled to conclude by March 2025.
The comprehensive enhancements to the CCGS Judy LaMarsh include the overhaul of propulsion, communication, and navigation systems. Additionally, upgrades will be made to the crew accommodation and workspaces, including installing a new buoy crane. These improvements are vital for the vessel’s icebreaking operations, particularly at the onset of fishing seasons, and maintenance of navigational buoys in the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence Seaway, and Atlantic Canada.
Minister Lebouthillier emphasized the significance of this initiative, stating, “I am very proud to see that today’s announcement will create nearly a hundred well-paying jobs while stimulating the economy of the St. John’s region. As the CCGS Judy LaMarsh departs for the next year, robust measures will be put in place to continue to keep Canadians safe on the water, and to keep vital trade routes open year-round. We are already looking forward to welcoming it back, even more modern and adapted to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.”
The vessel, originally built by Aker Arctic in Romania in 2010 and operated as a commercial firefighting tug on the Caspian Sea, was acquired by the Canadian Coast Guard in November 2021 from Atlantic Towing Limited. It was subsequently renamed in February 2022 in honour of the late Honourable Judy LaMarsh, a trailblazing federal Cabinet Minister known for her contributions to national health welfare and for establishing the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Canada.
The National Shipbuilding Strategy, a multi-billion-dollar program, plays a pivotal role in renewing the Canadian Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy fleets. Between 2012 and June 2023, approximately $11.34 billion in contracts have been awarded to Canadian companies under the strategy’s third pillar, focusing on repair, refit, and maintenance projects. This initiative modernizes vessels and supports skilled jobs in the Canadian shipbuilding industry, fostering economic growth in communities across the country.
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