VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 17,
2024 /CNW/ - The Canadian Coast Guard serves
Canadians every day by saving lives, protecting the environment,
and supporting the safe movement of goods in our waterways. The
renewal of its fleet ensures Canadian Coast Guard personnel can
continue to carry out their important work for years to come, while
supporting innovation and creating new shipbuilding jobs from coast
to coast to coast.
Today, the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and
Physical Activity, and the Honourable Terry Beech, Minister of
Citizens' Services, on behalf of the Honourable Diane
Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast
Guard, were at Vancouver Shipyards in British Columbia to celebrate the launch of
the new Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel. A launch ceremony
represents the first time a newly constructed vessel is lowered
into the water.
As part of the event, Minister Qualtrough also announced the
name of the new Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel: the Canadian
Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Naalak Nappaaluk. Naalak Nappaaluk
was a respected Inuk Elder from
Kangiqsujuaq, Nunavik, a village
of 800 along Quebec's northernmost
tip. Mr. Nappaaluk was a renowned leader, harvester, teacher,
consultant, navigator, astronomer, and meteorologist. As a
knowledge keeper, he was committed to protecting and promoting
Inuit language and culture and did so his entire life by teaching
others how to survive and thrive in his Arctic homeland. The
vessel's name, chosen in consultation with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami,
was a welcome opportunity to work with Inuit and to advance our
commitment to pave a relationship with Indigenous Peoples based on
rights, respect, cooperation, and partnership.
Today's ceremony and name unveiling mark another major milestone
in the construction of the Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel.
The CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk is a floating laboratory. As the
Canadian Coast Guard's largest dedicated science vessel, the new
ship will provide increased capability and capacity to support
ocean science missions on Canada's
east coast. It will accommodate up to 34 crew and 26 Fisheries and
Oceans Canada scientists, and will be stationed at the Bedford
Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth,
Nova Scotia. The CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk is equipped
with a deck that can swap out different equipment modules based on
mission requirements, a marine mammal observation station, an ocean
sampling room, multiple labs, and state-of-the-art equipment for
collecting and analyzing information to better understand our ocean
ecosystems. The vessel can also support search and rescue
operations and environmental response, when needed.
The CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk will support the continued
delivery of critical oceanographic science, which will help the
Government of Canada to tackle the
most pressing ocean issues, such as climate change. The data and
samples collected onboard this vessel will also support
Canada's domestic and
international commitments to ensure that our oceans are sustainably
managed.
The CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk is a key deliverable for the
Canadian Coast Guard under the National Shipbuilding Strategy,
which is creating sustainable jobs in Canada's shipbuilding industry and marine
sector. Contracts under the National Shipbuilding Strategy are
estimated to have contributed approximately $30 billion ($2.3
billion annually) to Canada's gross domestic product, and created
or maintained over 20,400 jobs annually between 2012 and 2024.
Quotes
"Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, we are revitalizing
the shipbuilding industry, creating good jobs, and building new
ships to support the Canadian Coast Guard in delivering on its
mandate. The launch of the CCGS Naalak
Nappaaluk marks an important milestone for the
Canadian Coast Guard's fleet: as Canada's largest science vessel, it will
support scientific research and missions for decades to come. We
thank Inuit Tapiirit Kanatami and the Nappaaluk family for
bestowing the CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk with its name, and are
honoured to continue his legacy of environmental conservation on
this new vessel."
The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries,
Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
"Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami is proud to have participated in the
naming of a Canadian Coast Guard research vessel for the first
time. It is especially fitting that Inuit Treaty Organizations
chose the name of an Inuk elder who, over his lifetime, imparted so
much knowledge to Inuit and Canadians. We are grateful to the
family of Naalak Nappaaluk for permitting this state-of-the-art
science vessel to carry his name. We hope to see the CCGS Naalak
Nappaaluk facilitate Inuit self-determination in research, with
the long-term goal of better understanding and protecting the
valuable marine resources that sustain us."
Natan Obed, President, Inuit
Tapiriit Kanatami
"British Columbians are deeply proud of our Canadian Coast Guard
personnel, and our government is working to ensure they have
everything they need to protect our marine environment, by
maintaining a strong presence in our coastal waters. Proudly built
right here in Vancouver, the CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk is
bolstering our economy and will support countless maritime
operations in the coming years."
The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and
Physical Activity
"Today's launch of the Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel is
a moment in which British Columbians can take great pride in, as it
affirms our province's talents and capabilities in the shipbuilding
industry. This new ship will not only solidify Canada's role as a world leader in ocean
science, but will also help us to better understand our diverse
marine environment. "
The Honourable Terry Beech, Minister of Citizens'
Services
"Today's launch of the CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk underscores
Canada's commitment to equipping
the Canadian Coast Guard with the modern ships it needs to do its
important scientific research and missions. Through the National
Shipbuilding Strategy, procurement of Canadian-built vessels not
only bolsters our maritime capabilities but also generates
high-value jobs across our marine sector and supply chain. We are
honoured to continue the legacy of Mr. Nappaaluk, a respected
Inuk Elder from Kangiqsujuaq, Nunavik, with the naming of this
state-of-the-art science vessel."
The Honourable François-Philippe
Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and
Industry
"Today's launch of the new Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel
is a milestone that represents significant progress under the
National Shipbuilding Strategy. As Canada's largest science vessel, this new
vessel will support scientific research and missions for decades to
come. Through the NSS, we are revitalizing the shipbuilding
industry, creating good jobs, and building new ships to support the
Canadian Coast Guard in delivering on its mandate, while generating
economic benefits for all Canadians."
The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services
and Procurement
"The CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk will help us detect, monitor,
and understand key ocean challenges such as changing ocean
conditions resulting from climate change and the impacts that these
changes might have on fish stocks, species distribution and
habitats, and food webs, and to provide the best available
information to guide sustainable and responsible marine policies
and resource decisions."
Parm Bains, Member of
Parliament, Steveston—Richmond East
"With its capacity to accommodate 34 crew and 26 scientists, the
CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk will play a central role in supporting
Canada's delivery of domestic and
international commitments, including the United Nations Decade of
Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, which will help to
ensure a healthy and sustainable ocean for future generations."
Wilson Miao, Member of
Parliament, Richmond Centre
"The launch of Canada's largest
and most modern science vessel is a historic day for our country
and the crucial work underway to support ocean research. Seaspan is
delivering on the promise of the National Shipbuilding Strategy -
ships built in Canada by Canadians
for Canada. I am so proud of the
innovation and dedication that went into building this important
ship that will help deepen our understanding of the oceans that
Canadians depend on for food, our livelihoods and the health of our
country."
John McCarthy, CEO, Seaspan
Shipyards
"With the launch of the CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk, we're one
step closer to welcoming this modern Offshore Oceanographic Science
Vessel into our fleet. I know our Canadian Coast Guard personnel
look forward to serving aboard the CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk,
supporting vital science research and continuing to serve Canadians
proudly."
Mario Pelletier, Commissioner,
Canadian Coast Guard
Quick Facts
- Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) is the national representative
organization for 70,000 Inuit in Canada, the majority of whom live in Inuit
Nunangat, the Inuit homeland, encompassing 51 communities across
the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (Northwest Territories), Nunavut, Nunavik (Northern Québec), and
Nunatsiavut (Northern Labrador).
Inuit Nunangat comprises 40 per cent of Canada's land area and 72 per cent of its
coastline.
- The ship's launch marks the completion of the construction of
the ship's underwater hull. Following the launch, pier-side work
will be performed, leading to both harbour and sea trials.
- The vessel is expected to be delivered to the Canadian Coast
Guard in 2025 and is being constructed under the large vessels
construction pillar of the National Shipbuilding Strategy, with a
total project cost of $1.47 billion
(incl. tax).
- The Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel will support the
Government of Canada's
oceanographic science research requirements for the next 30+ years,
as the Canadian Coast Guard's primary east coast ocean science
research vessel.
- The National Shipbuilding Strategy is Canada's multi-decade program to renew the
Government of Canada's fleets and
deliver strong economic impact and employment opportunities across
the country. Vancouver Shipyards is one of Canada's long-term strategic shipbuilding
partner under the Strategy.
- As of the end of 2023, over $26.5
billion in National Shipbuilding Strategy-related contracts
have been awarded to businesses throughout the country. Of this
amount, $5.38 billion is related to
contracts for the Canadian Coast Guard.
Related products
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CCGS Hudson
- Canadian Coast Guard marks the ship consolidation milestone of
the Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel
- Keel Laid on Canadian Coast Guard's Newest Science Vessel at
Ceremony in Vancouver
- Video: New science ship with Inuit name unveiled
- Video (Inuktitut): New science ship with Inuit name
unveiled
- Backgrounder: The National Shipbuilding Strategy and the
Canadian Coast Guard
- Video: How a ship gets built in Canada
Associated links
- Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel
- The Canadian Coast Guard Fleet
- Science at-sea
- Start Your Career with the Canadian Coast Guard
- United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable
Development (2021-2030)
Stay Connected
- Follow the Canadian Coast Guard on X, Facebook, Instagram,
YouTube and LinkedIn.
SOURCE Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Canada