Halifax Shipyard
Encyclopedia
The Halifax Shipyard Limited is a Canadian
shipbuilding
company located in Halifax, Nova Scotia
.
It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Irving Shipbuilding Inc.
and is that company's largest ship construction and repair facility.
in the community of Richmond
. The following year on August 22, 1890 the Halifax Graving Dock Company purchased the Chebucto Marine Railway Company Limited located in Dartmouth Cove, at the mouth of the former Shubenacadie Canal
in Dartmouth
. During World War I
the facility was modernized and began constructing the first steel-hulled ships in Halifax. On December 6, 1917 the Halifax Graving Dock Company's facilities on the Halifax side of the harbour were badly damaged by the Halifax Explosion
, which occurred 300 m (984.3 ft) north of the graving dock.
In 1918 the Halifax Graving Dock Company's assets were purchased by Montreal investors who organized them into the Halifax Shipyards Limited. In 1920 Halifax Shipyards Limited was acquired by the conglomerate British Empire Steel Corporation (BESCO). In 1930 Halifax Shipyards Limited was acquired by the conglomerate Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation
(DOSCO). During World War II
, the company's facilities were critical to the war effort as Halifax Shipyards Limited constructed 4 Tribal class destroyers
for the Royal Canadian Navy
- the first all-Canadian built destroyers - and was vital in repairing more than 7,200 ships damaged in the Battle of the Atlantic.
From the early 1950s to the mid-1960s the shipyard won contracts with the Royal Canadian Navy
to construct 4 destroyers as part of the RCN's post-war fleet modernization program. In 1957 Halifax Shipyards Limited was acquired by the conglomerate A.V. Roe Canada Ltd.
, which had purchased DOSCO and its subsidiary companies. In 1962 Halifax Shipyards Limited was acquired by the conglomerate Hawker Siddeley Canada
which had purchased A.V. Roe Canada Ltd. and its subsidiary companies.
Under Hawker Siddeley ownership, the company began to diversify its contracts in the 1960s and 1970s, constructing ferries and other government contracts, as well as oil drilling rigs and drill ships for Atlantic Canada's nascent offshore oil and gas industry. Various repairs and smaller builds filled out the order sheet during this period.
In 1978 the parent company Hawker Siddeley was placed in receivership and the shipyard's assets were held by the primary creditor, the Government of Nova Scotia
. A consortium named Halifax Industries Limited was organized and reached an agreement with the provincial government to operate the shipyard. A modernization program began in 1979 with a $7.5 million mill upgrading as well as a replacement program for yard infrastructure. The floating dry dock Prins Hendrik Dok No. 4, built in Rotterdam
in 1933 was purchased and rebuilt by the shipyard in 1979. It was renamed Scotiadock and complemented the existing graving dock for ship repair and construction. In 1983 a new Panamax
floating dry dock was purchased, having been built in 1982 by Marine Industries Limited
in Sorel, Quebec. It was named Novadock and gave the shipyard the ability to repair the largest-sized ships on the eastern seaboard.
In 1985 the shipyard declared bankruptcy and was purchased by a group of Nova Scotia investors who organized it as Halifax-Dartmouth Industries Limited (HDIL). In 1992, Quebec-based engineering firm SNC-Lavalin
was the successful bidder for the Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel Project
which would build what is today known as the Kingston class or the MCDV. SNC-Lavalin sub-contracted HDIL for the ship design and construction of the 12 vessels.
In 1994, mid-way through the MCDV project, the shipyard's owners sold HDIL to Irving Shipbuilding Inc.
of Saint John, NB
who renamed the yard Halifax Shipyard Limited. In 1998, the shipyard purchased a replacement floating dry dock for the Scotiadock. The floating dry dock General Georges P Vanier was built by Canadian Vickers Ltd. in 1964. Upon purchase by Irving Shipbuilding, the dry dock was renamed Scotia Dock II.
Like all Canadian shipyards, Halifax Shipyard Limited underwent a dramatic slowdown in new construction and refit business during the late 1990s and throughout the 2000s due to changes in Government of Canada
tax and tariff policies for ship owners, as well as a reduction in federal government construction for warships, icebreakers, ferries and scientific vessels. On June 27, 2003 Irving Shipbuilding announced it had an agreement with the federal government to permanently close the country's largest shipyard, Saint John Shipbuilding
in Saint John, NB
. The competing Davie Yards Incorporated
in Lauzon, QC
experienced similar financial difficulty and spent much of the decade in mothball status. This left Halifax Shipyard Limited as the largest full-service shipyard left on Canada's Atlantic coast and the flagship facility for Irving Shipbuilding Inc.
A handful of new-build contracts for oil rig supply vessels, a cruise ship, as well as repair and maintenance contracts for Royal Canadian Navy
warships and Canadian Coast Guard
icebreakers and scientific vessels, public and privately owned ferries, commercial ships, and oil rigs has kept Halifax Shipyard Limited moderately busy in recent years.
In September 2009 Irving Shipbuilding was awarded a contract to build the Hero-class patrol vessel project for the Canadian Coast Guard
. These 9 vessels are scheduled to be delivered by 2014-2015.
In October 2011 Irving Shipbuilding was deemed the successful proponent for constructing 23 warships for the Royal Canadian Navy
under the $35 billion National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy
. This merit-based competition will see the federal government enter into an exclusive contract with Irving Shipbuilding to supply the vessels over the next 20 years.
},
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
company located in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
.
It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Irving Shipbuilding Inc.
Irving Shipbuilding
Irving Shipbuilding Incorporated is the largest shipbuilder in Canada. Headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the company is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Canadian industrial conglomerate J.D. Irving Limited....
and is that company's largest ship construction and repair facility.
History
The Halifax Graving Dock Company was formed by English investors who constructed the graving dock for $1 million, opening on September 21, 1889 on the western shore of Halifax HarbourHalifax Harbour
Halifax Harbour is a large natural harbour on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, located in the Halifax Regional Municipality.-Harbour description:The harbour is called Jipugtug by the Mi'kmaq first nation, anglisized as Chebucto...
in the community of Richmond
Richmond, Nova Scotia
Richmond is a Canadian urban neighbourhood comprising part of the North End of the Halifax Peninsula in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality....
. The following year on August 22, 1890 the Halifax Graving Dock Company purchased the Chebucto Marine Railway Company Limited located in Dartmouth Cove, at the mouth of the former Shubenacadie Canal
Shubenacadie Canal
The Shubenacadie Canal is a Canadian canal in central Nova Scotia, linking Halifax Harbour with Shubenacadie Grand Lake which drains into the Bay of Fundy by way of the Shubenacadie River. Currently small craft use the river and lakes, but no locks are fully operational...
in Dartmouth
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Dartmouth founded in 1750, is a community and planning area of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. Located on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour, Dartmouth has been nicknamed the City of Lakes after the large number of lakes located in the city.On April 1, 1996, the provincial...
. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
the facility was modernized and began constructing the first steel-hulled ships in Halifax. On December 6, 1917 the Halifax Graving Dock Company's facilities on the Halifax side of the harbour were badly damaged by the Halifax Explosion
Halifax Explosion
The Halifax Explosion occurred on Thursday, December 6, 1917, when the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, was devastated by the huge detonation of the SS Mont-Blanc, a French cargo ship, fully loaded with wartime explosives, which accidentally collided with the Norwegian SS Imo in "The Narrows"...
, which occurred 300 m (984.3 ft) north of the graving dock.
In 1918 the Halifax Graving Dock Company's assets were purchased by Montreal investors who organized them into the Halifax Shipyards Limited. In 1920 Halifax Shipyards Limited was acquired by the conglomerate British Empire Steel Corporation (BESCO). In 1930 Halifax Shipyards Limited was acquired by the conglomerate Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation
Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation
The Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation was a Canadian coal mining and steel manufacturing company.Incorporated in 1928 and operational in 1930, DOSCO was predated by the British Empire Steel Corporation which was a merger of the Dominion Coal Company, the Dominion Iron and Steel Company and the...
(DOSCO). During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the company's facilities were critical to the war effort as Halifax Shipyards Limited constructed 4 Tribal class destroyers
Tribal class destroyer (1936)
The Tribal class, or Afridi class, were a class of destroyers built for the Royal Navy, Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Australian Navy that saw service in World War II...
for the Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
- the first all-Canadian built destroyers - and was vital in repairing more than 7,200 ships damaged in the Battle of the Atlantic.
From the early 1950s to the mid-1960s the shipyard won contracts with the Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
to construct 4 destroyers as part of the RCN's post-war fleet modernization program. In 1957 Halifax Shipyards Limited was acquired by the conglomerate A.V. Roe Canada Ltd.
Avro Canada
Commonly known as Avro Canada, this company started in 1945 as an aircraft plant and became within thirteen years the third-largest company in Canada, one of the largest 100 companies in the world, and directly employing over 50,000...
, which had purchased DOSCO and its subsidiary companies. In 1962 Halifax Shipyards Limited was acquired by the conglomerate Hawker Siddeley Canada
Hawker Siddeley Canada
Hawker Siddeley Canada was the Canadian unit of the Hawker Siddeley Group of the United Kingdom and manufactured railcars, subway cars, streetcars, aircraft engines and ships from the 1960s to 1980s.-History:...
which had purchased A.V. Roe Canada Ltd. and its subsidiary companies.
Under Hawker Siddeley ownership, the company began to diversify its contracts in the 1960s and 1970s, constructing ferries and other government contracts, as well as oil drilling rigs and drill ships for Atlantic Canada's nascent offshore oil and gas industry. Various repairs and smaller builds filled out the order sheet during this period.
In 1978 the parent company Hawker Siddeley was placed in receivership and the shipyard's assets were held by the primary creditor, the Government of Nova Scotia
Government of Nova Scotia
The Government of Nova Scotia refers to the provincial government of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
. A consortium named Halifax Industries Limited was organized and reached an agreement with the provincial government to operate the shipyard. A modernization program began in 1979 with a $7.5 million mill upgrading as well as a replacement program for yard infrastructure. The floating dry dock Prins Hendrik Dok No. 4, built in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
in 1933 was purchased and rebuilt by the shipyard in 1979. It was renamed Scotiadock and complemented the existing graving dock for ship repair and construction. In 1983 a new Panamax
Panamax
Panamax and New Panamax are popular terms for the size limits for ships traveling through the Panama Canal. Formally, the limits and requirements are published by the Panama Canal Authority titled "Vessel Requirements"...
floating dry dock was purchased, having been built in 1982 by Marine Industries Limited
Marine Industries Limited
Marine Industries Limited was a Canadian ship building company, in Sorel, Quebec, with a shipyard located on the Richelieu river about 1 km from the St. Lawrence River. It employed up to 10,000 people during the post WWII boom....
in Sorel, Quebec. It was named Novadock and gave the shipyard the ability to repair the largest-sized ships on the eastern seaboard.
In 1985 the shipyard declared bankruptcy and was purchased by a group of Nova Scotia investors who organized it as Halifax-Dartmouth Industries Limited (HDIL). In 1992, Quebec-based engineering firm SNC-Lavalin
SNC-Lavalin
SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. is a large Canadian engineering firm. It is one of the ten largest engineering firms in the world and is based in Montreal, Quebec. It formed in 1991 from the merger of SNC and the failing Lavalin, another Quebec based engineering firm....
was the successful bidder for the Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel Project
Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel Project
The Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel Project was a procurement project undertaken by the Department of National Defence beginning in the mid-1980s to find a replacement for the , and minesweepers....
which would build what is today known as the Kingston class or the MCDV. SNC-Lavalin sub-contracted HDIL for the ship design and construction of the 12 vessels.
In 1994, mid-way through the MCDV project, the shipyard's owners sold HDIL to Irving Shipbuilding Inc.
Irving Shipbuilding
Irving Shipbuilding Incorporated is the largest shipbuilder in Canada. Headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the company is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Canadian industrial conglomerate J.D. Irving Limited....
of Saint John, NB
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
who renamed the yard Halifax Shipyard Limited. In 1998, the shipyard purchased a replacement floating dry dock for the Scotiadock. The floating dry dock General Georges P Vanier was built by Canadian Vickers Ltd. in 1964. Upon purchase by Irving Shipbuilding, the dry dock was renamed Scotia Dock II.
Like all Canadian shipyards, Halifax Shipyard Limited underwent a dramatic slowdown in new construction and refit business during the late 1990s and throughout the 2000s due to changes in Government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
tax and tariff policies for ship owners, as well as a reduction in federal government construction for warships, icebreakers, ferries and scientific vessels. On June 27, 2003 Irving Shipbuilding announced it had an agreement with the federal government to permanently close the country's largest shipyard, Saint John Shipbuilding
Saint John Shipbuilding
Saint John Shipbuilding was a Canadian shipbuilding company located in Saint John, New Brunswick. It operated from 1923-2003.-History:Numerous shipyards were located on the shores of Courtney Bay in the east end of Saint John Harbour where extensive mud flats dried at low tide.In 1918 it was...
in Saint John, NB
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
. The competing Davie Yards Incorporated
Davie Yards Incorporated
Davie Yards Incorporated is a ship building unit of TECO Group or Norway and is the successor to Davie Shipbuilding and MIL-Davie Shipbuilding....
in Lauzon, QC
Lauzon, Quebec
Lauzon is a former city in southern Quebec, Canada, located on the St. Lawrence River northeast of Lévis. Founded in 1910, Lauzon had a population of about 14,500 when it merged with Lévis in 1989...
experienced similar financial difficulty and spent much of the decade in mothball status. This left Halifax Shipyard Limited as the largest full-service shipyard left on Canada's Atlantic coast and the flagship facility for Irving Shipbuilding Inc.
A handful of new-build contracts for oil rig supply vessels, a cruise ship, as well as repair and maintenance contracts for Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
warships and Canadian Coast Guard
Canadian Coast Guard
The Canadian Coast Guard is the coast guard of Canada. It is a federal agency responsible for providing maritime search and rescue , aids to navigation, marine pollution response, marine radio, and icebreaking...
icebreakers and scientific vessels, public and privately owned ferries, commercial ships, and oil rigs has kept Halifax Shipyard Limited moderately busy in recent years.
In September 2009 Irving Shipbuilding was awarded a contract to build the Hero-class patrol vessel project for the Canadian Coast Guard
Canadian Coast Guard
The Canadian Coast Guard is the coast guard of Canada. It is a federal agency responsible for providing maritime search and rescue , aids to navigation, marine pollution response, marine radio, and icebreaking...
. These 9 vessels are scheduled to be delivered by 2014-2015.
In October 2011 Irving Shipbuilding was deemed the successful proponent for constructing 23 warships for the Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
under the $35 billion National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy
National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy
The National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy is a Government of Canada program operated by the Department of Public Works and Government Services.- Work :...
. This merit-based competition will see the federal government enter into an exclusive contract with Irving Shipbuilding to supply the vessels over the next 20 years.
Partial list of ships built
- Tribal-class destroyerTribal class destroyer (1936)The Tribal class, or Afridi class, were a class of destroyers built for the Royal Navy, Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Australian Navy that saw service in World War II...
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- Ice Breakers
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- Canadian National RailwayCanadian National RailwayThe Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
ferries:- MV Confederation,
- Canadian National SteamshipsCanadian National RailwayThe Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
refrigerated vessels:- SS Canadian Cruiser,
- ,
- Cruise shipCruise shipA cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
s:
- Anchor handling tug supply vesselAnchor handling tug supply vesselAnchor Handling Tug Supply vessels are mainly built to handle anchors for oil rigs, tow them to location, anchor them up and, in a few cases, serve as an Emergency Rescue and Recovery Vessel ....
s:- Atlantic Eagle,
- Atlantic Hawk,
- Atlantic Kingfisher,
- Atlantic OspreyAtlantic OspreyThe Atlantic Osprey is an anchor handling tug supply vessel vessel, launched 17 April 2003.Built by Halifax Shipyard for operation by Atlantic Towing Limited, Atlantic Osprey is an Ulstein UT 722 L design intended for use in the offshore oil fields...
, - New ship for Atlantic Towing for 2010 delivery (now named Atlantic Condor)http://www.canadianbusiness.com/markets/cnw/article.jsp?content=20090312_140503_4_cnw_cnw
Ships to be built
- Hero-class patrol vessel, nine vessels ordered 2 September 2009
- Arctic Patrol Ship ProjectArctic Patrol Ship ProjectIn July 2007 The Government of Canada announced plans for the Arctic Patrol Ship Project which will see the construction of 6-8 vessels for the Royal Canadian Navy....
, 8 vessels (see National Shipbuilding Procurement StrategyNational Shipbuilding Procurement StrategyThe National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy is a Government of Canada program operated by the Department of Public Works and Government Services.- Work :...
)
- Single Class Surface Combatant Project, 15 vessels (see National Shipbuilding Procurement StrategyNational Shipbuilding Procurement StrategyThe National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy is a Government of Canada program operated by the Department of Public Works and Government Services.- Work :...
)