VIDEO: Vancouver Drydock completes CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier VLE project

CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier [Photo: Seaspan]

Seaspan’s Vancouver Drydock in North Vancouver, B.C., has successfully completed the Vessel Life Extension (VLE) of the Canadian Coast Guard’s CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier. After undocking at the end of April 2024, the vessel completed an in-water work period in preparation for ship commissioning and sea trials.

The vessel departed Seaspan on August 17, 2024 following sea trials, concluding one of the largest and most complex ship repair and overhaul projects ever undertaken at Vancouver Drydock. The entire project consisted of over 100 separate upgrades including; replacement of the ship’s three 2100 kW generator sets, replacement of the propulsion drive cycloconverters, repair and refit of the rudder and shafting, installation of a new towing bollard complete with all new underdeck structure and a new shipboard integrated communication syste

The CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier, which entered service in 1986, is one of six Martha Black-class icebreakers operated by the Canadian Coast Guard and the VLE project at Vancouver Drydock continued a long history of Canadian icebreakers being built and maintained on the west coast of Canada.

With the refit complete, the 83 m long vessel is now ready to resume its duties in Canada’s Coastal and Arctic waters. Seaspan says that it is proud to have played a key role in supporting the Canadian Coast Guard and returning the CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier to the water so it can continue undertaking essential services such as scientific research and search and rescue operations.

“Keeping our vessels in good working order is critical to ensuring that our personnel can provide Canadians with the services they need throughout the year,” said Canadian Coast Guard Commissioner Mario Pelletier. “Through planned maintenance and refit works, like this important work to extend the life of the CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier, we are ensuring that vessels in our fleet remain well maintained and in service.”

With recent investments including a new dry dock and an operations building, Seaspan’s Vancouver Drydock is well-positioned to continue supporting the Canadian Coast Guard, and other domestic and international customers.

“We are proud to partner with the Canadian Coast Guard in maintaining their fleet, so they can focus on missions that matter to Canadians, like protecting the longest coastline in the world,” said Paul Hebson, vice president and general manager of Vancouver Drydock. “This project was both challenging and rewarding, and our team rose to every challenge. Thanks to hard work and dedication, working in collaboration with our CCG partners, we are now even better prepared to take on more work like this in the future.”