Finland to design advanced icebreaker

Aker Arctic Technology of Finland will be joining a team led by STX Canada Marine, to design the Canadian Coast Guard's future flagship, the CCGS John G. Diefenbaker.

Working with STX Canada Marine, Aker Arctic will be responsible for assessing ice loads, developing the hull form and structure of the ship, the conceptual design of the propulsion system, and providing the winterization principles to be used.

The John G Diefenbaker, named after a former prime minister, will be able to operate autonomously for 270 days in the Arctic, over a larger area and in more difficult conditions than any of Canada's current icebreakers.

Capable of accommodating 100 personnel, with space for 25 additional people, the new ship will be able to break through 2.5 metres of ice at three knots, according to a statement of Good News, a Finland based news portal.

Helsinki based Aker Arctic Technology has practically designed well over half the world's icebreakers, numerous Arctic and Antarctic research vessels, and a large number of cargo vessels and offshore structures designed to operate in some of the world's harshest climates.

The design work based on a concept produced by the Canadian Coast Guard is expected to take 18 to 24 months to complete, and the vessel will be built by Vancouver Shipyards Co Ltd.

The delivery of the John G Diefenbaker will coincide with the decommissioning of the current CCG flagship, the CCGS Louis S St-Laurent, in 2017.