New Canadian Shipbuilding Strategy

[Colin Parkinson]

Yes Canada's ice breaking fleet is going to be pretty amazing and Russia is struggling to finish their P2220 Class to replace their older heavy icebreakers. I have to chuckle at US claims about the importance of the Arctic, when you look at the state of their icebreaking fleet.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Looking forward to the first complete block

Built in Canada for Canada: Seaspan Begins Construction on Heavy Polar Icebreaker, the Most Capable Ship in the Canadian Coast Guard’s Fleet - Seaspan

April 3, 2025 – North Vancouver, BC – Today, Seaspan Shipyards (Seaspan) cut steel on the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) new heavy polar icebreaker, signifying the start of construction on one of the most advanced conventional polar icebreakers ever to be built. This marks the first time a heavy...

www.seaspan.com

 

[calculus]

This is the Seaspan press release for the awarding of the Polar Class Icebreaker, gleam from it what you will, they are claiming they are going to build 21 Icebreakers for the CCG, my guess is the PR person likley included the 4 non-icebreakers for the CCG they have already built.

Seaspan to Build Made-In-Canada Heavy Polar Icebreaker - Seaspan

March 7, 2025 – North Vancouver, BC – Today, Seaspan Shipyards (Seaspan) has been awarded the construction contract to build one of the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) new heavy polar icebreakers. The polar icebreaker will be built entirely in Canada at Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards, located in...

www.seaspan.com

According to this, they have cut steel on this ship, which is a pretty significant milestone:

Canada: Construction starts on CCG's heavy polar icebreaker at Seaspan Shipyards

Seaspan Shipyards (Seaspan) has cut the steel on the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) new heavy polar icebreaker.

www.navaltoday.com

 

[calculus]

According to this, they have cut steel on this ship, which is a pretty significant milestone:

Canada: Construction starts on CCG's heavy polar icebreaker at Seaspan Shipyards

Seaspan Shipyards (Seaspan) has cut the steel on the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) new heavy polar icebreaker.

www.navaltoday.com

Colin beat me to this!

 

[Colin Parkinson]

It's Ok, we are all just enthusiastic about it!

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Maybe we can get a contract to build the Aussies a PC2 Icebreaker?

Australia, Canada should build out polar partnership - Breaking Defense

In light of Canada's recent purchase of JORN from Australia, Elizabeth Buchanan writes in this op-ed that the two nations should continue to foster a polar partnership.

breakingdefense.com

 

[Underway]

Maybe we can get a contract to build the Aussies a PC2 Icebreaker?

Australia, Canada should build out polar partnership - Breaking Defense

In light of Canada's recent purchase of JORN from Australia, Elizabeth Buchanan writes in this op-ed that the two nations should continue to foster a polar partnership.

breakingdefense.com

That's likely going to Korea, not to us. But you never know.

 

[KevinB]

I think there is a fundamental difference you need to consider with the USCG; they are part of the US military, are fully armed and forward deploy warships places like the gulf to protect the USN and do similar ops to what we do with the RCN.

Sorry for the late arrival on this.

The USCG isn’t part of DoD, and hasn’t been since 9/11 stood up DHS. The USCG is a branch of DHS like ICE, HSI and CBP. Even before the formation of DHS the USCG was a muddled entity, part of DoD but also not due to constitutional limitations.

The USCG has LE Dets that conduct law enforcement activities as Federal LE under the DHS mandate. The Law Enforcement Detachments are the ones that conduct boardings and LE activities within the US boundary as Posse Comitatus Act forbids the usage of US military personnel for domestic LE roles/tasks.

During a war (as declared by Congress) control of the USCG falls under the USN and they become effectively a branch of the US Military, but the LE Det’s remain Federal LE.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Sorry for the late arrival on this.

The USCG isn’t part of DoD, and hasn’t been since 9/11 stood up DHS. The USCG is a branch of DHS like ICE, HSI and CBP. Even before the formation of DHS the USCG was a muddled entity, part of DoD but also not due to constitutional limitations.

The USCG has LE Dets that conduct law enforcement activities as Federal LE under the DHS mandate. The Law Enforcement Detachments are the ones that conduct boardings and LE activities within the US boundary as Posse Comitatus Act forbids the usage of US military personnel for domestic LE roles/tasks.

During a war (as declared by Congress) control of the USCG falls under the USN and they become effectively a branch of the US Military, but the LE Det’s remain Federal LE.

Also the only US federal agency that can respond directly to a disaster without the request of a State Governor. The other US forces like to make fun of the USCG, but I find that the average US citizen holds them in high regard, and from my experience with them that regard is well deserved. Their Lifeboat crews are second to none and are sort of a Guard within the the Guard.

 

[KevinB]

Also the only US federal agency that can respond directly to a disaster without the request of a State Governor. The other US forces like to make fun of the USCG, but I find that the average US citizen holds them in high regard, and from my experience with them that regard is well deserved. Their Lifeboat crews are second to none and are sort of a Guard within the the Guard.

While everyone loves to pick on them, they have a lot of unique capabilities, from HITRON to their Rescue Swimmers, as well as a fair decent Naval capability to that exceeds many medium countries in terms of capabilities, and a larger Maritime Helicopter community than most countries entire rotary wing fleets.