Canadian Coast Guard’s New Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel Begins Sea Trials

The Canadian Coast Guard’s new Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel (OOSV), named CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk, has officially begun sea trials this week from North Vancouver.

The vessel departed from Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards, where it had been undergoing final outfitting, equipment installation, and system commissioning since its launch in August 2024.

Sea trials are the final and most important phase in the shipbuilding process before a vessel is delivered. Over the next few weeks, the Naalak Nappaaluk will undergo a series of full-scale tests off Canada’s West Coast.

These trials are being carried out by experts from Seaspan, the Canadian Coast Guard, and key equipment suppliers. The goal is to thoroughly assess the ship’s performance, ensure all systems are working as designed, and confirm it is seaworthy.

Nalak Nappaaluk — Image Credits: Seaspan/Facebook

The testing will cover all major areas of the ship, including mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic systems, as well as scientific equipment, communications and navigation tools, fire and safety systems, and more.

Once the trials are complete and the ship passes all evaluations, CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk is expected to be delivered to the Canadian Coast Guard by the end of the summer.

The ship will then sail to its home port at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, located in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

Video Credits: Seaspan/YouTube

The CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk is a Polar Class 6 vessel, designed to handle icy waters. It has a displacement of 5,058 tonnes and measures 88 metres in length and 17.6 metres in width.

It is built to accommodate up to 60 people, including 34 crew members and 26 scientists from Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

This new vessel will be Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s main platform for oceanographic research. It is outfitted with specialised tools and spaces for a wide range of missions, including marine habitat management, ocean current studies, and seabed mapping.

It also has the capability to assist in search and rescue missions and environmental response efforts, depending on operational needs.

Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel — Image Credits: Seaspan/Facebook

Onboard features include a mission-flexible deck that can be configured with different equipment modules, an ocean sampling room, a marine mammal observation station, and multiple scientific laboratories.

These tools will allow Canadian scientists to better study and understand the country’s vast marine ecosystems.

The vessel is the first in a planned series of three oceanographic science ships being built by Seaspan for the Coast Guard under the NSS.

According to the company’s Senior Vice President of Programs, Leo Martin, seeing a ship they built go out to sea is one of the proudest moments in shipbuilding.

Reference: marinetechnologynews

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