Quebec shipyard Forillon de Gaspé has been awarded a $55.5 million contract to build the Canadian Coast Guard’s first mid-shore hybrid fisheries research vessel (NSHRH).
Fisheries, Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard Minister Diane Lebouthillier was in Gaspé on Friday to announce the news.
The future hybrid ship will be powered by diesel and electric and will have a battery storage system that will reduce fossil fuel consumption, as we learned in a press release. It is expected to join the Canadian fleet in 2027.
The contract was awarded as part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy and will enable the creation and maintenance of up to 90 highly specialized and well-paid jobs in the region, the minister recalled.
The new vessel will help collect the necessary data and information to support decision-making regarding sustainable fisheries and healthy ecosystems in the St. Lawrence and Gulf regions, it also said.
“Today’s announcement represents an important milestone for the maritime history of Gaspésie. “The construction of this ship will not only create and maintain high-skilled and well-paid jobs, but will also directly and indirectly boost the economy of the entire region,” explained the minister.
“By building the NSHRH, we are at the forefront of the next generation of clean vessels, providing state-of-the-art equipment to our people who work tirelessly to provide essential services on behalf of all Canadians,” added Mario Pelletier, Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard.