Canada resurrects midshore coast guard plan

The Canadian government’s on-again, off-again plan to build new midshore patrol vessels for the coast guard appears to be on again. The federal government quietly scuttled a plan last summer to build 12 midshore patrol vessels for the coast guard. Bids had been received for that program, but in August, Public Works said they exceeded the anticipated $340 million allocated to the project.

Ottawa issued a notice this week indicating it intends to put the project for “up to 12” midshore patrol vessels back out to tender. “These vessels, which are to be used for marine security and conservation and protection, are to be capable of sustained operations out to 120 nautical miles (220 kilometres) offshore,” says the notice published last Thursday. An unofficial source suggests that the coast guard was considering buying 10 midshore patrol vessels, instead of the dozen originally planned, to reduce costs. The source also said the government was looking at changing the specifications for the ships? propulsion systems as a cost-cutting measure.

The coast guard had asked that the ships be able to operate at their peak speed at 90% power when they are new. Changing that to 100% would mean the vessels would be cheaper to build, but they would also get heavier when more equipment is inevitably added, said the source. Without the extra power in reserve, that means the vessels would slow as they age.

Three shipbuilding companies, including Irving Shipbuilding, were interested in building the vessels. Eight of the coast guard patrol vessels were announced in the federal 2006 budget and four were part of the 2007 budget. They were to be up to 43 metres in length and travel at speeds up to 24 knots. The notice published this week indicates the ships are to be 37 to 43 metres long.