The Halifax Shipyard Limited is a Canadian
shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other 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 befo ...
company located in
Halifax,
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland".
Most of the population are native Eng ...
.
Founded in 1889, it is today a wholly owned subsidiary of
Irving Shipbuilding Inc. and is that company's largest ship construction and repair facility.
History
Halifax Graving Dock Company 1889–1918
![HMS Fantome in drydock LAC 3332914](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/HMS_Fantome_in_drydock_LAC_3332914.jpg)
The Halifax Graving Dock Company was formed by English investors who constructed the
graving dock
A dry dock (sometimes drydock or dry-dock) is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform. Dry docks are used for the construction, maintenance, ...
for $1 million, opening on September 21, 1889 on the western shore of
Halifax Harbour
Halifax Harbour is a large natural harbour on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, located in the Halifax Regional Municipality. Halifax largely owes its existence to the harbour, being one of the largest and deepest ice-free natural harbo ...
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
The Shubenacadie Canal is a canal in central Nova Scotia, Canada. It links Halifax Harbour with the Bay of Fundy by way of the Shubenacadie River and Shubenacadie Grand Lake. Begun in 1826, it was not completed until 1861 and was closed in 1871. ...
in
Dartmouth. The yard built a small steam tug for its own use in 1915,
the tug ''Sambro''.
During
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, the Halifax Graving Dock Company's facilities on the Halifax side of the harbour were badly damaged by the December 6, 1917
Halifax Explosion
On the morning of 6 December 1917, the French cargo ship collided with the Norwegian vessel in the waters of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The ''Mont-Blanc'', laden with high explosives, caught fire and exploded, devastating the Richmond ...
, which occurred north of the graving dock. Many yard workers were killed and ''Sambro'' was sunk. The graving dock was quickly repaired and planning began to add building slips and plating shops for a modern ship yard to construct the first steel-hulled ships in
Atlantic Canada. ''Sambro'' was raised and renamed .
Halifax Shipyards Limited 1918–1978
![Halifax shipyard cranes](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Halifax_shipyard_cranes.png)
In 1918 the Halifax Graving Dock Company's assets were purchased by Montreal investors who organized them into the Halifax Shipyards Limited, completing the shipyard and beginning ship construction in the final stages of World War I. In 1920 Halifax Shipyards Limited was acquired by the conglomerate
British Empire Steel Corporation
The Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation (also DOSCO) was a Canadian coal mining and steel manufacturing company.
Incorporated in 1928 and operational by 1930, DOSCO was predated by the British Empire Steel Corporation (BESCO), which was a merger o ...
(BESCO). In 1930 Halifax Shipyards Limited was acquired by the conglomerate
Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation
The Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation (also DOSCO) was a Canadian coal mining and steel manufacturing company.
Incorporated in 1928 and operational by 1930, DOSCO was predated by the British Empire Steel Corporation (BESCO), which was a merger o ...
(DOSCO). During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, the company's facilities were critical to the war effort as Halifax Shipyards Limited constructed four s for the
Royal Canadian Navy
The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack submar ...
– 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 four 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
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
Founded in 1962 as the Canadian divis ...
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.
Halifax Industries Limited 1978–1985
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
Floating may refer to:
* a type of dental work performed on horse teeth
* use of an isolation tank
* the guitar-playing technique where chords are sustained rather than scratched
* ''Floating'' (play), by Hugh Hughes
* Floating (psychological p ...
''Prins Hendrik Dok No. 4'' (RDM-173), built in
Rotterdam
Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"Ne ...
in 1933 (by and for
NV De Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij) 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
Marine Industries Limited (MIL) was a Canadian ship building, hydro-electric and rail car manufacturing company, in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, with a shipyard located on the Richelieu river about 1 km from the St. Lawrence River. It employed up to ...
in
Sorel, Quebec. It was named ''Novadock'' and gave the shipyard the ability to repair the largest-sized ships on the eastern seaboard.
Halifax-Dartmouth Industries Limited 1985–1994
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 Group Inc. is a Canadian company based in Montreal that provides engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services to various industries, including mining and metallurgy, oil and gas, environment and water, infrastructure, a ...
was the successful bidder for the
Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel Project which would build what is today known as the . SNC-Lavalin sub-contracted HDIL for the ship design and construction of the twelve vessels.
Halifax Shipyard Limited 1994 – Present
![HSL2013launchshlip](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/HSL2013launchshlip.JPG)
In 1994, midway through the MCDV project, the shipyard's owners sold HDIL to
Irving Shipbuilding Inc. of
Saint John, New Brunswick
Saint John is a seaport city of the Atlantic Ocean located on the Bay of Fundy in the province of New Brunswick, Canada. Saint John is the oldest incorporated city in Canada, established by royal charter on May 18, 1785, during the reign of K ...
who renamed the yard Halifax Shipyard Limited. In 1998, the shipyard purchased a replacement
floating dry dock
Floating may refer to:
* a type of dental work performed on horse teeth
* use of an isolation tank
* the guitar-playing technique where chords are sustained rather than scratched
* ''Floating'' (play), by Hugh Hughes
* Floating (psychological p ...
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''. The original dry dock was later scrapped.
![HSL2013](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/HSL2013.JPG)
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
The government of Canada (french: gouvernement du Canada) is the body responsible for the federal administration of Canada. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown is the corporation sole, assuming distinct roles: the executive, as the ''Crown ...
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 was a Canadian shipbuilding company located in Saint John, New Brunswick. The shipyard was active from 1923 to 2003.
History
Numerous shipyards were located on the shores of Courtney Bay in the east end of Saint John H ...
in Saint John. The competing
Davie Yards Incorporated in
Lauzon, Quebec
Lauzon is a former city in southern Quebec, Canada, located on the St. Lawrence River northeast of Lévis. Founded in 1867 as a village it became a town in 1910, Lauzon had a population of about 14,500 when it merged with Lévis in 1989. The th ...
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
The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG; french: links=no, Garde côtière canadienne, GCC) is the coast guard of Canada. Formed in 1962, the coast guard is tasked with marine search and rescue (SAR), communication, navigation, and transportation issues ...
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 project for the Canadian Coast Guard. The nine vessels were 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
The National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), formerly the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS), is a Government of Canada program operated by the Department of Public Works and Government Services. The NSS was developed under the Stephe ...
. 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.
''Scotia Dock II'' sunk in May 2010 while preparing to allow a tugboat to enter. Although it was subsequently raised, it was determined to be damaged beyond repair, so it was sold for scrap in 2012. The shipyard planned a replacement as part of its preparations for implementing the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy.
In 2013 Irving Shipbuilding started its $300-million modernization of the Halifax Shipyard to accommodate the building of vessels for the federal government.
Partial list of ships built
![HMCS Annapolis DDH-265](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/HMCS_Annapolis_DDH-265.jpg)
*
** launched 1953
** launched 1956
*
** launched 1957
*
** launched 1963
![Nanaimo Canada Day 09](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/Nanaimo_Canada_Day_09.jpg)
*
** launched 1943
** launched 1944
** launched 1945
** launched 1945
![HMCS-Brandon-Minesweeperhig](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/HMCS-Brandon-Minesweeperhig.jpg)
* :
** , launched in 1996
** , launched in 1996
** , launched in 1997
** , launched in 1997
** , launched in 1997
** , launched in 1998
** , launched in 1998
** , launched in 1998
** , launched in 1998
** , launched in 1998
** , launched in 1999
** , launched in 1999
*
Icebreaker
An icebreaker is a special-purpose ship or boat designed to move and navigate through ice-covered waters, and provide safe waterways for other boats and ships. Although the term usually refers to ice-breaking ships, it may also refer to smaller ...
s
**, launched in 1930
*
Ferries
A ferry is a ship, watercraft or amphibious vehicle used to carry passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, Italy, is sometimes called a water bus or water tax ...
:
** MV ''Confederation'',
Canadian National Railway and later by
Northumberland Ferries Limited
Northumberland Ferries Limited (NFL) is a ferry company operating in eastern Canada and headquartered in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. NFL is also the owner of subsidiary Bay Ferries Limited (which used to include the Bay Ferries Great ...
, launched in 1962 (scrapped 2007)
** ''Manco Capac'',
PeruRail
PeruRail is a railway operator providing tourist, freight, and charter services in southern Peru. It was founded in 1999 by two Peruvian entrepreneurs and the British company Sea Containers.
The main line between the port of Matarani, Arequipa ...
rail car ferry at
Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca (; es, Lago Titicaca ; qu, Titiqaqa Qucha) is a large freshwater lake in the Andes mountains on the border of Bolivia and Peru. It is often called the highest navigable lake in the world. By volume of water and by surface area, i ...
, built and knocked down in 1970, re-assembled at Lake Titicaca in 1971
** ''Petit Princess'',
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland".
Most of the population are native Eng ...
Dept. of Transport, launched in 2004
![Tug boat in Halifax Harbour on a foggy day](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Tug_boat_in_Halifax_Harbour_on_a_foggy_day.jpg)
*Cargo steamships
** , launched in 1920
** SS ''Canadian Explorer'', launched in 1921
** SS ''Canadian Cruiser'',
refrigerated ship, launched in 1921
** ,
refrigerated ship, launched in 1922
*Cargo/Passenger Steamships
**''Bahia Aguirre'', launched in 1950
**''Bahia Buen Suceso'', launched in 1950
**''Bahia Thetis'', launched in 1950
*
Cruise ship
Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners, which are used for transport, cruise ships typically embark on round-trip voyages to various ports-of-call, where passengers may go on tours known as ...
s:
** ''
Pearl Mist'', launched in 200
![CCGS Private Robertson V](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/CCGS_Private_Robertson_V.C.jpg)
*
Harbour tugs
**''Sambro''/''Erg'' launched in 1915
** launched in 1992
*
Anchor handling tug supply vessel
Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) vessels are mainly built to handle anchors for oil rigs, tow them to location, and use them to secure the rigs in place. AHTS vessels sometimes also serve as Emergency Response and Rescue Vessels (ERRVs) and ...
s:
** ''Atlantic Eagle'', launched in 1999
** ''Atlantic Hawk'', launched in 2000
** ''Atlantic Kingfisher'', launched in 2002
** ''
Atlantic Osprey
''Atlantic Osprey'' is an anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessel, launched 17 April 2003.
Built by Halifax Shipyard for operation by Atlantic Towing Limited, ''Atlantic Osprey'' is an Ulstein UT722L design intended for use in the offshore ...
'', launched in 2003
** ''Atlantic Condor'', launched in 2010
Canadian Business.com
/ref>
* s
** , launched in 2012
** , launched in 2012
** CCGS ''Corporal Teather C.V.'', launched in 2012
** CCGS ''Constable Carrière'', launched in 2013
Ships to be built
* Arctic Patrol Ship Project
''Harry DeWolf''-class offshore patrol vessels are warships of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) built within the Government of Canada Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) procurement project, part of the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy ...
, 6 vessels (see National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy
The National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), formerly the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS), is a Government of Canada program operated by the Department of Public Works and Government Services. The NSS was developed under the Stephe ...
)
* Single Class Surface Combatant Project
The Canadian Surface Combatant, formerly the Single Class Surface Combatant Project is the name given to the procurement project that will replace the and warships with up to 15 new ships beginning in the mid to late 2020s as part of the Natio ...
, 15 planned vessels (see National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy
The National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), formerly the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS), is a Government of Canada program operated by the Department of Public Works and Government Services. The NSS was developed under the Stephe ...
)
Maintenance Contracts with RCN
Halifax Shipyards is one of three shipyards being awarded contracts for maintenance and repair of the Halifax-class frigate
The ''Halifax''-class frigate, also referred to as the City class, is a class of multi-role patrol frigates that have served the Royal Canadian Navy since 1992. The class is the outcome of the Canadian Patrol Frigate Project, which dates to the mi ...
s. Along with Davie Shipbuilding, Halifax Shipyards will be assigned with the 6 frigates based on in Halifax with Victoria Shipyards handling those based in CFB Esquimalt
Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt (CFB Esquimalt) is Canada's Pacific Coast naval base and home port to Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force Pacific Headquarters. , 4,411 military personnel and 2,762 civilians work at CFB Esquim ...
.
References
External links
Irving Shipbuilding Inc. (Halifax Shipyard)
{{Irving Group of Companies
Shipbuilding companies of Canada
Companies based in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Manufacturing companies established in 1889
1889 establishments in Nova Scotia
Drydocks