Davie takes aim at shipbuilding strategy
Chantier Davie Canada Inc. just fired a big shot at the federal government in its ongoing war to discredit the national shipbuilding strategy.
In a letter, the Levi, Que., shipyard declined to bid on refit work for the coast guard’s science vessel CCGS Hudson, saying its condition “presents a serious and real threat to safety of life at sea.” The ship, which entered service in 1963, is the oldest in the coast guard fleet, at 56.
I have spoken with former crew of the Hudson who feel this statement is off base. The ship is still safe, despite its age, but things are wearing out, thus the requirement for the work period. According to the request for proposals, the refit work is scheduled for Feb. 25 to July 15 this year and includes significant steel work, tank replacement, and replacement of watertight openings.
The work will need to pass a Lloyds Register inspection. Lloyds Register is a class society, which exists to inspect vessels’ hull and machinery against the societies technical standards. If the vessel meets those standards, it is said to be “In Class” and insurance underwriters have assurances that a loss will not be the result of a design or construction defect.
Transport Canada also makes use of class societies under its delegated statutory inspection program or DISP.
The DSIP essentially allows Transport Canada to accept a class society’s confirmation that a vessel meets the required safety standards without having Transport Canada independently inspect the ship. Most coast guard vessels are classed by the American Bureau of Shipping or ABS. The Hudson is classed with Lloyds Register.
The presence of the class society notwithstanding, Transport Canada Ship Safety has an obligation to inspect and detain any ship that it becomes aware may be potentially unsafe. I have heard stories of coast guard vessels being detained by the coast guard in the past due to various issues.
Davie’s letter should be considered a notification that the ship is unsafe, requiring Transport Canada to take action.
Davie’s letter was addressed to the public works procurement contact, suggesting the letter was more of a political statement than a legitimate safety concern, though since becoming public, Transport Canada would have a responsibility to act.
A request to Transport Canada, to confirm if they received the letter from Davie, or if they consider its publication to be sufficient grounds to investigate, and to find out what actions they have taken, was acknowledged, but not answered by deadline.
CCGS Hudson’s last refit began in 2016 and went over schedule into 2017. The failure to meet the schedule was largely blamed on the Heddle Marine Shipyard in Hamilton, Ont. where the work was carried out, rather than issues with the ship.
Davie is campaigning hard for work under the National Ship Building Procurement Strategy, and is attempting to suggest that the plan is a failure. While ships are being built, only so many vessels can be constructed at once in the two yards awarded contracts, and Davie is trying to suggest they should get some of the work to expedite fleet renewal.
The federal government certainly didn’t do any favours to the Canadian shipbuilding industry when they declined to build any new vessels in the ’90s and 2000s leading to a situation where the Coast Guard fleet, plus a portion of the Navy's fleet, needs renewal at once. The current government is now wearing it.
