B.C. shipyard wins contract for four steel barges

Following an open and competitive process, Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of the Canadian Armed Forces, has awarded a contract of C$1,996,439 (about US$15.3 million) to Canadian Maritime Engineering Ltd., of Port Alberni, British Columbia, for the acquisition of four steel barges for Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt in British Columbia. The contract also includes a complete technical data package, training and the option to buy spare parts.

The steel barges will be used to support various types of maintenance on ships and will replace the six existing wooden barges.

The shipbuilder must deliver all four barges alongside the Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Breton at Esquimalt Harbour within 18 months from the contract award date.

According to Public Services Canada, four new steel barges will be “robust, low maintenance and low draft and will be 12 to 15 meters in length, with unobstructed clear working decks of 75 square meters.