At the Association of British Columbia Marine Industry’s (ABCMI) annual Business Opportunities Conference, Seaspan Shipyards took the stage with a major announcement — one that underscores how Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) continues to deliver for both the nation and its industrial base.

Seaspan has awarded a contract to Ideal Welders Ltd. for the fabrication of 30 blocks for Canada’s new heavy Polar Icebreaker, a landmark vessel being built for the Canadian Coast Guard in North Vancouver.

A Partnership Forged in Steel

The collaboration between Seaspan and Ideal Welders is not new — it’s the evolution of a relationship that has grown stronger with every major build. From their early work on pipe spools to the fabrication of the distinctive bulbous bows of the Royal Canadian Navy’s Joint Support Ships HMCS Protecteur and HMCS Preserver, Ideal Welders has been part of Seaspan’s West Coast success story.

Now, with this latest Polar Icebreaker contract, the company steps fully into the next stage of industrial capability — building and outfitting entire hull blocks for one of the most complex vessels ever constructed under the NSS.

“This announcement is more than just a contract. It is a continuation of the commitment that Seaspan has made to grow shipbuilding in British Columbia,” said Kate Morton, Vice President – Supply Chain, Seaspan Shipyards. “As we continue to build icebreakers in Canada, for Canada, we are advancing our efforts expand the capabilities of those around us, and build blocks for these ships domestically. When we can leverage the expertise and skills which exist within our own borders, building icebreakers fully within Canada becomes the best path forward.”

Proof That the NSS Is Working

A cornerstone of the National Shipbuilding Strategy is to ensure that Canadian shipbuilding isn’t simply revived, but permanently strengthened through deep industry collaboration and technology transfer. The expanding Seaspan–Ideal Welders partnership illustrates that promise in action: sustained local employment, industrial growth, and West Coast innovation anchored in real work.

As the NSS matures, its success can increasingly be measured in how smaller and mid-sized partners scale up their capabilities to support world-class programs — exactly what Ideal Welders is doing.

“Ideal Welders is excited to be continuing our ongoing partnership with Seaspan Shipyards and to be contributing to the construction of the Canadian Coast Guard’s most powerful icebreaker,” said Robert Buchmann, President of Ideal Welders. “We are pleased to have shown, through our work on other Coast Guard and Navy vessels, that we can be trusted partner under the National Shipbuilding Strategy. This contract will support a number of highly-skilled trades positions here in Delta, and reinforce the newfound stability of the shipbuilding industry in BC.”

Building One of the World’s Most Capable Icebreakers

Steel was first cut on the Polar Icebreaker in April 2025, marking the start of a new chapter for Canada’s Arctic operations. When complete, this vessel will rank among the world’s most powerful Polar Class 2 icebreakers, purpose-built for year-round service in the high Arctic.

Spanning 158 metres in length and 28 metres in beam, the ship will boast more than 40 megawatts of installed power, alongside specialized laboratories, a moon pool for oceanographic work, a helicopter deck and hangar, and capacity for remotely piloted aircraft systems.

It will be the seventh vessel designed and built by Seaspan under the NSS, the fifth Polar Class vessel for the Canadian Coast Guard, and one of up to 21 icebreakers Seaspan is constructing to modernize Canada’s maritime fleet.

Made-in-Canada Capability, Built to Endure

The Polar Icebreaker is more than a vessel — it’s a statement of intent. It signals Canada’s resolve to maintain a sovereign Arctic presence, invest in domestic capability, and ensure that the skills, suppliers, and innovation ecosystem needed for this generation of ships will endure into the next.

For Seaspan and Ideal Welders, this collaboration is both a testament to shared history and a foundation for the future — where Canadian expertise, industrial partnership, and national purpose come together in steel.