In a momentous step for Canadian shipbuilding and Arctic sovereignty, Seaspan Shipyards in North Vancouver officially began construction on what will become the Canadian Coast Guard’s most capable vessel to date. The cutting of steel on April 3, 2025, marked the official start of work on a next-generation heavy polar icebreaker—the first of its kind to be built in Canada in over six decades.
At 158 metres in length and 28 metres wide, this formidable ship is being built to endure and operate independently in the unforgiving conditions of the high Arctic, all year long. Its primary mission will be to patrol and operate across Canada’s vast 162,000-kilometre Arctic coastline, strengthening Canada’s Arctic presence while supporting scientific research, emergency response, and the needs of Indigenous and northern communities.
Once completed, this Polar Class 2 icebreaker will rank among the world’s most powerful conventional vessels of its kind. It will be able to sustain operations in remote, ice-choked waters longer and farther north than any icebreaker currently in Canada’s fleet. With room for up to 100 people on board, it will be equipped to support search and rescue missions, critical climate change research, and assert Canada’s sovereignty in the North.
“Today’s milestone caps off an incredibly busy 10-month period for Seaspan, involving two first-of-class ship launches and the start of construction on this new world-class polar icebreaker. The National Shipbuilding Strategy is showing that a made-in-Canada approach is not only possible, it is imperative to Canada’s security and sovereignty. We must continue to design and build ships here at home, to ensure that the experience, skills, and knowledge built through the NSS will be sustained. Seaspan looks forward to delivering this new polar icebreaker to the Canadian Coast Guard, and to building more Polar Class vessels for Canada and its allies,” conveyed John McCarthy, CEO, Seaspan Shipyards.
The vessel will be the seventh designed and built by Seaspan under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), and the fifth Polar Class ship to serve the Coast Guard. It is part of a broader fleet renewal initiative that includes up to 21 new icebreaking vessels, all contributing to Canada’s long-term maritime readiness.
Preparation for this major project began in earnest last year, when Seaspan completed a polar Prototype Block—essentially a full-scale test section of the ship—to demonstrate readiness for such a complex build. This prototype required working with uniquely resilient steel, much thicker and less flexible than materials used in previous NSS ships.
As the sole Canadian shipyard currently building heavy polar icebreakers, Seaspan is positioning itself as a key player not only in meeting Canada’s needs but also in supporting international partners through the ICE Pact.
“Seaspan is proud to support the Canadian Coast Guard with this large, multi-mission vessel,” the company stated, reaffirming its commitment to the North and to Canada’s strategic future in Arctic waters.