Campbell River company awarded $74. 7M contract to build new RCMP vessels
A Campbell River company has been selected, in partnership with a U. K. -based company, to build three new RCMP patrol vessels that will be used in British Columbia in a roughly $74. 7 million contract with the federal government.
The RCMP West Coast Marine Services vessel The Lindsay is shown. The ship, based in Port Alberni, is one of the vessels that will be replaced by the new ships built in Campbell River. (RCMP file photo)A Campbell River company has been selected, in partnership with a U. K. -based company, to build three new RCMP patrol vessels that will be used in British Columbia in a roughly $74. 7 million contract with the federal government. The three new coastal patrol vessels will be built at theOcean Pacific Marine(OPM) shipyard in Campbell River, in partnership with the U. K. -based Camarc Design. The new ships are part of a rollout of a “new generation” of jet-propelled aluminum patrol vessels that will measure 24 to 25 metres long, according to the federal government. They will replace three current patrol vessels used by theRCMP West Coast Marine Services, which are stationed in Port Alberni, Nanaimo and Prince Rupert. Each of the new vessels will opearte within 400 nautical miles of their respective home ports. The ships can be at sea for up to seven days without refuelling or resupplying, and feature a crew of four people. “For decades, the RCMP West Coast Marine Services has served as a steady and welcoming presence along B. C. ’s coastline, patrolling nearly 26,000 kilometres from the U. S. border to Alaska, including Haida Gwaii and Vancouver Island,” said the federal government Thursday. “The unit supports safe waterways and trusted partnerships while working closely with local residents and coastal Indigenous communities. ”The provincial and federal governments say construction of the new vessels will support both police and local communities through job creation. “This investment delivers on a clear priority: strengthening Canada’s ability to secure and protect its own coastline, while supporting good jobs and industrial capacity here at home,” said Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant“These new patrol vessels will enhance the RCMP’s operational presence along British Columbia’s coast, ensuring they have the modern equipment needed to respond effectively in one of the most complex maritime environments in the country,” he said. T he RCMP West Coast Marine Services is headquartered in Nanaimo with a satellite unit in Prince Rupert. SEE ALSO:Video shows RCMP boarding BC Ferries vessel for training exerciseAdam Chan is a Digital News Editor who joined CHEK News in 2023. Previously, he worked as an Associate Digital Editor with CTV News Vancouver Island and Victoria Buzz. In 2023, he was a recipient of. . . More by Adam Chan