Photo courtesy Seaspan Shipyards
Seaspan Shipyards, a leading ship repair and maintenance company in Canada, has unveiled plans for upgrades and expansion of its Vancouver Drydock.
The expansion aims to enhance the company’s ship repair and maintenance operations and better serve the Pacific Northwest region.
Permit approval from the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA) in October 2023 has paved the way for Seaspan to extend its North Vancouver drydock facilities, increasing its capacity.
Seaspan’s Vancouver Drydock, located near Canada’s largest port, has been operating at or near capacity for several years. The expansion project will boost Seaspan’s ship repair capacity by approximately 30%, leading to the creation of around 100 new jobs.
“Seaspan Vancouver Drydock plays a vital role in supporting the West Coast marine industry and providing long-term employment opportunities for BC’s skilled workforce,” said Paul Hebson, Vice President and General Manager of Vancouver Drydock. “By investing in improvements to optimize our land and water lots, we will be able to cater to more customers, generate new jobs, and stimulate economic activity in our communities. The public engagement process for the drydock expansion has been invaluable in addressing concerns and making our project more responsive.”
The expansion project will include the extension of Seaspan’s current water lot by 40 meters, the addition of two new smaller drydocks, and a floating work pontoon to the west of the existing drydocks. Construction is expected to take about a year. The drydocks and work pontoon will arrive fully assembled.
Seaspan has committed to implementing 61 conditions to address potential environmental impacts, including noise, air emissions, and lighting. Mitigation measures will be applied to both the existing operation and the expanded facilities.
A new operations building will also be constructed to accommodate the growing workforce, providing space for up to 300 employees over two shifts. Construction, which is expected to begin soon, is anticipated to be completed by late 2024.
Vancouver Drydock employs a team of 200 people who handle maintenance, repair, and refit projects for over 50 vessels annually, including tugs, ferries, freighters, Coast Guard vessels, cruise ships, fishing vessels, and barges.
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