Canada’s first hybrid Coast Guard vessel. [Image: Robert Allan Ltd.]
“Public Services and Procurement Canada has awarded Gaspé, Quebec, shipbuilder Chantier Naval Forillon a CAD 55.5 million (about US$40.5 million) contract to build Canada’s first hybrid Coast Guard vessel: the new Near-Shore Fishery Research Vessel (NSFRV). The vessel is among those that was listed when Canada announced plans, back in May, to invest about US$1.8 billion in renewing the Canadian Coast Guard’s small vessel fleet.“
Its primary job is not something the US Coast Guard does. It’s not large, 32 meters (105′), and it’s not cheap, but it does incorporate a lot of interesting technology that should cut fuel costs. It gets by with a very small crew, five plus six Fisheries and Oceans scientists, but then it is not expected to do law enforcement or a lot of boat ops or boardings.