GATINEAU, QC – Following an open and competitive process, Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of the Canadian Coast Guard, announced it has awarded three contracts totalling $14 million for the acquisition of 48 hard-shell barges to the following Canadian companies: Industries Océan of Québec, Canadian Maritime Engineering of Port Alberni, British Columbia, and MetalCraft Marine of Kingston, Ontario.
Canadian Maritime Engineering Ltd was awarded a $2.7 million contract for the construction of eight 40-cubic-metre barges.
MetalCraft Marine Inc. was awarded a $7.2 million contract for the construction of 13 20-cubic-metre and 11 40-cubic-metre barges.
And Industries Océan Inc. was awarded a $4.1 million contract for the construction of 16 20-cubic-metre barges.
These contracts will help create or sustain approximately 25 jobs within the three shipyards.
The Canadian Coast Guard will use these barges to respond to marine pollution incidents, including oil recovery. The hard-shell barges will provide safe temporary storage of hydrocarbon oils and oily waste recovered from an oil spill. All barges are expected to be delivered before March 31, 2022, in various locations across Canada.
“Canada’s strong marine safety regime is continuously improving. Thanks to Canada’s Oceans Protection Plan, marine shipping is safer, and our coastal ecosystems are better protected than ever before. These new hard-shell barges will enable a more proactive, rapid and effective response should a marine pollution incident occur in Canada’s waters,” said Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.
Since the Oceans Protection Plan started in November 2016, over 50 initiatives have been announced in the areas of marine safety, research and ecosystem protection that span coast to coast to coast.
