Residents of the North Shore can keep an eye out for the Canadian Coast Guard’s newest vessel, the CCGS Naalak Nappaoluk, as it sails from the Seaspan Vancouver Shipyards for its sea trials.
Seaspan has been progressing on this ship since its initial launch in August 2024. The sea trials mark the final major phase of the new Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel (OOSV), which is 88 metres long and 17.6 metres wide. The OOSV will accommodate up to 60 personnel, and will function as Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s primary oceanographic science platform.
The trials will ensure that the vessel is fully operational, and that all of its systems, including mechanical, electrical, hydraulics, scientific, communications, navigation, and fire and safety, function as they were intended to.
The ship will not only serve the Canadian Coast Guard with search and rescue operations, but will also be equipped for habitat management, marine surveys, and scientific research. The OOSV “will provide world-class capabilities for the Coast Guard’s scientific research and missions for decades to come,” Joël Lightbound, the Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement, stated in a release.
Joanne Thompson, who serves as the Minister of Fisheries, calls this an “important milestone” which “marks an important chapter and underscores our dedication to ocean research and environmental protection.”
Once the sea trials are complete, the CCGS Naalak Nappaoluk will be set for delivery to the Canadian Coast Guard by the end of the summer. It will then sail to the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Halifax, which is where the vessel will be based.
“For the team, constructing the Canadian Coast Guard’s newest and most advanced science research ship has all been building to this moment, and we couldn’t have been more excited to see it set sail,” said Leo Martin, Seaspan’s senior vice president, programs. The vessel’s final outfitting, installation, and commissioning work has all taken place at Seaspan Vancouver Shipyards.
“Watching a vessel that you have built go off into the sea is one of the proudest moments during a shipbuilder’s career,” said Martin.
Zain Alragheb is a student intern reporting for the North Shore News. She can be reached at [email protected].
