The Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, was in Gaspé to announce the contract award for the construction of the new Near-Shore Fishery Research Vessel (NSFRV), the Canadian Coast Guard’s first-ever diesel-electric hybrid vessel with a Battery Energy Storage System, designed to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels.
Following an open competitive process, Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of the Canadian Coast Guard, awarded Chantier Naval Forillon in Gaspé, Quebec, a contract to build a diesel-electric hybrid NSFRV. This contract was awarded for $55.5 million (excluding taxes) as part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy, and will create and maintain up to 90 highly skilled and well-paying jobs in the region.
The NSFRV is a specialized vessel for fisheries, oceanographic and hydrographic sciences. Outfitted with cutting-edge technologies in fisheries, oceanographic and hydrographic sciences, the new vessel will undertake critical research to collect the data and information needed to help guide decision-making for sustainable fisheries and healthy ecosystems in the St. Lawrence River and Gulf region. The vessel is expected to join the Canadian Coast Guard fleet as early as 2027.
With the construction of this first-of-its-kind Canadian Coast Guard vessel, Canada is taking concrete action to fight climate change and improve vessel design to continue to provide world-class marine services, while reducing environmental impacts on our waters and marine ecosystems.
The NSFRV design includes features focused on reducing power consumption such as a hybrid propulsion system with a battery bank and an energy-efficient electrical and deck equipment systems. The vessel will emit significant less greenhouse gas than a non-hybrid configuration and is able to perform some low speed operations on battery for 30-60 minutes per day. In addition, the batteries can support overnight operations to avoid using generators in harbour, and in so doing generate less pollution and ambient noise.
The Near-Shore Fishery Research Vessel is designed to collect the fisheries and oceanographic data and information needed to understand our marine environments and make sustainable decision for Canada’s fisheries and ecosystems. The vessel will also be available for Search and Rescue as well as other Canadian Coast Guard operations on an opportunity basis.
Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, the process of renewing the Coast Guard’s small vessel fleet is well underway. To date, 17 small vessels have been delivered which includes; 15 Search and Rescue lifeboats and two Channel Survey and Sounding Vessels. So far, Chantier Naval Forillon from Gaspé, Quebec has built eight Search and Rescue Lifeboats for the Canadian Coast Guard under the National Shipbuilding Strategy, with seven of those that have been delivered across the country.
In October 2022, the Canadian Coast Guard announced the start of a biodiesel testing project and the launch of the next phase in the construction of the Government of Canada’s first hybrid electric vessel, the new Near-shore Fishery Research Vessel.
Canada’s Greening Strategy is a set of government-approved commitments that apply to all core government departments and agencies. Fleet management across the Government will be optimized to achieve the targets, including the commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050.