French-based defense contractor Thales signed a CAD$35 million, (approx. US$26,8) contract with Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards (VSY), to deliver electronic systems for the construction of the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) three Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels (OFSV) under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS).
As a partner of VSY, Thales will be responsible for the selection, procurement and integration of the electronic systems and equipment on the vessels being constructed, including radar, communications, bridge and mission systems.
Seaspan recently announced the start of production on the second OFSV. In the meantime, significant progress continues on the first OFSV with 37 of 37 blocks currently under construction.
Thales in Canada has been under contract for the initial phases of the OFSV project since 2013 and is also under contract with Seaspan for initial phases of the Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel (OOSV) for the CCG and the Joint Support Ships (JSS) for the Royal Canadian Navy.
Each of the three OFSVs will be 63 metres long, operate in the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Oceans and conduct fishing and acoustic surveys of fish and invertebrates and collect physical, chemical and biological oceanographic data to monitor changes in the marine ecosystem.
Thales has also contracted Raytheon Anschütz to provide Integrated Navigation Systems (INS) for the vessels. According to Raytheon, the INS features five Synapsis NX workstations for radar, ECDIS and conning for the main bridge console.
Further multifunctional workstations will be supplied for installation at the bridge wings, for the aft fishing and starboard stations, and as chart station.