Canadian Coast Guard welcomes the CCGS Chedabucto Bay into service
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia - The Canadian Coast Guard plays an essential role in ensuring the safety of mariners and protection of Canada’s marine environment. Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, the Government of Canada has made it a priority to provide Canadian Coast Guard members with the vessels they need to continue to deliver these critical services to Canadians.
Today, the Canadian Coast Guard officially welcomed CCGS Chedabucto Bay to its fleet at the Lifeboat Station in Clarks Harbour, Nova Scotia.
Lena Metlege Diab, Member of Parliament for Halifax West, on behalf of the Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard joined Gary Ivany, Assistant Commissioner Canadian Coast Guard Atlantic Region at the event. Alongside elder June Coulton, Clarks Harbour Mayor Rex Stoddard, and vessel sponsor Margot Armstrong, they participated in the traditional breaking of a ceremonial bottle upon the ship’s bow.
In December 2022, CCGS Chedabucto Bay was the 14th search and rescue lifeboat accepted by the Government of Canada, and was delivered to Clarks Harbour in January 2023. The vessel is one of 20 new search and rescue lifeboats that will be dedicated into service by the Canadian Coast Guard across the country and named after geographical bays.
The lifeboats are specifically designed, equipped, and crewed to respond to search and rescue incidents at sea. These vessels will operate up to 100 nautical miles from shore, maintain a maximum 30 minute state-of-readiness, and are typically ready to respond the moment an alert is received.
Quotes
“I am honoured to welcome the CCGS Chedabucto Bay into service, as part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy to build Canada’s fleet of the future. This investment will ensure that search and rescue crews have state-of-the-art equipment that allows them to safely, effectively, and efficiently serve Canadians.”
Lena Metlege Diab, Member of Parliament for Halifax West
Quick facts
- The CCGS Chedabucto Bay is classed as a search and rescue lifeboat, with a top speed up to 25 knots, and has a crew of four.
- The series of 20 vessels are being built by Chantier Naval Forillon (Gaspé, Quebec) and Hike Metal Products (Wheatley, Ontario) (10 per shipyard) at a total cost of $180 million.
- The lifeboats are informally referred to as “Bay Class” as each vessel is named after a Canadian bay.
- The remaining six Bay Class vessels are scheduled to be delivered over the next 2 years, with the last vessel delivery projected for 2025.
- These shore-stationed self-righting lifeboats were built to provide key search and rescue services, including:
- conducting searches on water
- responding to marine distress calls
- providing assistance to disabled vessels
- operate up to 100 nautical miles from shore
- replace the Canadian Coast Guard’s existing search and rescue vessels
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Each year, the Canadian Coast Guard responds to over 6,000 calls for marine assistance. On an average day, they coordinate the response to 19 search and rescue incidents, assists 68 people and saves 18 lives.
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