Irving Shipbuilding begins production of Canada's sixth and final arctic and offshore patrol ship

(From left) Shannon Sampson (President, Unifor MWF Local 1), Adam Slaunwhite (Business Agent, MWF Local 1), Ross Langley (Vice Chairman, Irving Shipbuilding), Roger Barakett (Detachment Commander, Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship Project, Department of National Defence), Captain (Navy) Michael Eelhart, Cdr Raphael Liakas, Andy Fillmore (Member of Parliament, Halifax), Parker Larson (Lead Vice President, AOPS Program, Irving Shipbuilding), Taylor Simpson (Metal Fabricator, Marine Fabricators). Irving Shipbulding

Irving Shipbuilding has officially cut the first steel for the future HMCS Robert Hampton Gray, marking the beginning production of Canada’s sixth and Final Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) for the Royal Canadian Navy built under the National Shipbuilding Strategy.

Construction of Canada’s future combat fleet begins at Irving Shipbuilding’s Marine Fabricators facility in Dartmouth, N.S., where 32 people are involved in the computerized plasma cutting and delivery of 4,000 tonnes of steel each year in support of the AOPS program.

The resulting 70,000 pieces are fabricated in a strategic sequence to meet the production schedule at Irving Shipbuilding’s Halifax Shipyard, the most modern and largest indoor shipbuilding facility in North America.

The steel weighs 3734 kilograms (3.7 tonnes) and will be used in a combination of locations on the ship, including the initial pieces that will begin development of the keel. Upon completion, the future HMCS Robert Hampton Gray will be 103.6 metres in length, have a 19-metre beam, displace 6,615 tonnes and be comprised of 440,000 parts. Each AOPS vessel has over 300kms of cable and more than 36kms of pipe.

Two AOPS already have been delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy. The future HMCS Max Bernays (AOPS 3) is due for delivery next month. The future HMCS William Hall (AOPS 4) is undergoing final assembly for launch later this year. The future HMCS Frédérick Rolette (AOPS 5) officially laid the keel in June of this year and construction of the bow, mid-ship, and stern Mega Blocks are underway.

Halifax Shipyard also will construct two AOPS variants for the Canadian Coast Guard, followed by 15 Canadian Surface Combatants for the Navy that are schedule to being construction in 2024.