Backgrounder
In 2015, the Government of Canada awarded a contract to Seaspan's Vancouver Shipyards (VSY) to build three Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels (OFSV) as part of the Canadian Coast Guard's long-term fleet renewal plans. The OFSVs are the first class of large vessels to be built by VSY, as part of the non-combat package under the National Shipbuilding Strategy.
The new OFSVs will be the primary platform for Fisheries and Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard to conduct important science and research work, such as monitoring the health of fish stocks, understanding the impacts of climate change, and supporting research that allows us to better understand our oceans.
About the Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels
- The OFSVs are 63.4 metres long, with a displacement of approximately 3,212 tonnes and a top speed of 13 knots.
- Each vessel contains more than 10 kilometers of piping supporting over 20 systems and is composed of over 130,000 individual parts.
- Each OFSV will include four science labs: a wet lab, a dry lab, an ocean lab and a control lab
The new vessels will support scientific research and development, through work such as:
- performing fishing and acoustic surveys of fish and invertebrates;
- collecting information on the abundance and distribution of marine species; and
- collecting data on marine ecosystems and the impacts of human activity on fisheries resources and ecosystem health.
The new OFSVs, although primarily focused on science and research, will also have the capability to support search and rescue and environmental response and operations, if required.
Naming of new Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels
In accordance with the Canadian Coast Guard's ship naming policy, Offshore Fisheries Sciences Vessels are named after former scientists and explorers who made a significant contribution to the history of Canada.
OFSV#1: CCGS Sir John Franklin
Sir John Franklin (1786 -1847) was a British naval officer and explorer. He led multiple high-profile explorations to Canada's arctic, which ultimately led to the detailed mapping of previously unknown northern coastlines.
OFSV#2: CCGS Capt. Jacques Cartier
Jacques Cartier (1491 - 1557) was a French navigator and explorer. In 1534, he was tasked with exploring the New World under the orders of King Francois I. Jacques Cartier is recognized as the first European to map the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the shores of the Saint Lawrence River.
OFSV#3: CCGS John Cabot
John Cabot, born Giovanni Caboto (c. 1450 - unknown), was an Italian merchant and explorer. Under the direction of King Henry VII, Cabot was tasked with discovering trade routes to the West. Cabot is the earliest known European, since the Norse Vikings, to explore and make landfall on the Newfoundland and Labrador coast in 1497.
