Seaspan’s multi-purpose icebreaker (MPI) design marks new milestone

Image: Seaspan

North Vancouver, B.C.-based Seaspan Shipyards has begun the next step in the design and engineering phase of the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) Multi-Purpose Icebreakers (MPI) program. With the Functional Design Review Meeting for the first flight of six MPIs successfully completed June 19, the company is now working towards the start of the production drawings in preparation for future construction.

The CCG intends to build up to 16 MPIs, broken down into three flights, with variations in each flight’s mission profile and overall make-up. Functional design for these vessels is being done in-house at Seaspan. Design work on the MPI program is on schedule and under budget.

The MPIs are highly capable Polar Class 4 icebreakers, with advanced capabilities, such as continuous icebreaking in heavy ice conditions. This will allow them to carry out multiple missions, including maritime search and rescue, environmental response, and maintaining Canada’s marine navigation system of about 17,000 navigation aids. The first flight of MPIs will replace the existing High Endurance Multi-Tasked Vessels and Medium Endurance Multi-Tasked Vessels.

With the detailed 3D model of the ship and its systems complete, the CCG MPI design is a now a mature, adaptable icebreaker platform customizable to the needs of the U.S. Coast Guard or any other international government seeking a capable, mature icebreaker to add to its fleet, says Seaspan, which, as we reported recently, has teamed with Bollinger and Finland’s Rauma Marine Constructions (Rauma Shipyard) and Aker Arctic (Aker) to pursue the U.S. Coast Guard’s Arctic Security Cutter program using the design.

“As North America’s leading icebreaker shipyard, Seaspan has built the largest and most capable marine design and engineering team in Canada. The MPI program represents a significant part of our portfolio under the National Shipbuilding Strategy, and we are excited to begin building this long run of ships supporting long-term shipbuilding opportunities for generations of Canadians, “ said John McCarthy, CEO, Seaspan Shipyards