Canada News

Canada's merchandise trade deficit widened in August to C$6.32 billion ($4.53 billion), its second highest on record, as exports both to the U.S. and the rest of the world fell, data showed on Tuesday.The August data had been expected to show a more permanent impact of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canada, after exports increased earlier in the year to beat the tariffs and then dropped off sharply.Total exports dropped by 3% in August from July while imports increased 0.9%, Statistics Canada said.

Stantec, a leader in sustainable design and engineering, and Seaspan, a leader in Canada’s shipbuilding industry, are celebrating the completion of a new outfitting pier at Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards. The new outfitting pier measures 272 meters by 19 meters (892 feet by 63 feet) and is designed for large navy and coast guard vessels. The pier is currently facilitating outfitting of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) Joint Support Ship, HMCS Protecteur, the largest vessel in the fleet.

Sean Fraser, Canada’s Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, has announced that strategic direction has been given to the Canada–Nova Scotia Offshore Energy Regulator as a next step toward realizing Canada’s first-ever offshore wind project.Fraser made the announcement on behalf of Tim Hodgson, Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and Nova Scotia Minister of Energy, Trevor Boudreau.In July, the Government of Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia jointly designated the areas of French Bank…

Finnish propulsion expert Steerprop and Seaspan Shipyards have expanded their collaboration on Canada’s next-generation polar icebreaker.Initially selected in late 2023 to supply two advanced ice-classed bow thrusters for the new flagship vessel, Steerprop will now also support the integration of the tunnel thruster into the vessel, ensuring hydrodynamic performance, smoother coordination with the shipyard, and reduced lifecycle costs. Seaspan’s heavy polar icebreaker is one of…

Sanmar Shipyards has launched the first of two of the world’s first large purpose-built dual fuel methanol escort tugs it is building for KOTUG Canada. KOTUG Canada is a partnership between KOTUG International B.V. and Canada's Horizon Maritime Inc.Based on the RAsalvor 4400-DFM design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd, the two tugs—the first Sanmar has built for KOTUG Canada—will service Canada’s Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMEP), escorting tankers from the…

MARL International, part of Glamox, a global leader in lighting, announced today that it is partnering with Canadian firm Apex Industries, which will manufacture its marine lighting systems under license in Canada for three destroyers for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). Apex Industries was awarded the lighting systems contract by Irving Shipbuilding, which will build the vessels at its shipyard in Halifax, Nova Scotia, while Lockheed Martin Canada will provide the defense equipment. The vessels are part of the River Class Destroyer program.

On 27 August, Damen Shipyards Group launched the latest Island Class ferry for Canada’s BC Ferries. The vessel is the second of four Island Class vessels currently under construction at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania. Once operational, the ferries will provide low emission services connecting coastal communities along the coast of British Columbia.When delivered, the ferry will be the eighth Island Class vessel that Damen has built for BC Ferries. The Island Class is based…

Davie shipyard has officially begun construction of the Polar Max icebreaker, a vessel that, once delivered by 2030, is expected to redefine Canada’s Arctic capabilities.The Polar Max is a production-ready heavy icebreaker designed to operate in some of the world’s harshest conditions. The vessel will support Canada’s Arctic sovereignty, critical scientific missions, environmental protection efforts, and maritime security.Uniquely, Polar Max will be constructed through an innovative industrial collaboration between Canadian-controlled facilities in Helsinki, Finland and Lévis, Canada.

The owner of Canadian firm Davie Shipbuilding said on Wednesday that the key to winning a contract to build icebreakers for the United States is to develop local shipbuilding capacity there.Davie said in June it was acquiring Texas shipyards in Galveston and Port Arthur, and on Wednesday Alex Vicefield, CEO of Davie's holding company British Inocea Group, said for the first time that the shipbuilder is bidding for the contract from the U.S. administration."It's under discussion how they (the U.S.) would want to do it, but certainly, the key to it is you have to develop U.S.

Without a way for industry to work together, the US, Canada, and Finland will not achieve the aims of the ICE pact, writes Denis Morais, CEO SSI.The United States and Canada have made no secret of their desire to add to their ice-breaking capacity, with ambitious plans to build the new tonnage in their home countries.The US has indicated it could need as many as 40 new icebreaking vessels, in addition to ice-class tonnage that could be required to support operations in the high north.

Indian Oil Corp has bought 7 million barrels of crude from the United States, Canada and the Middle East, four trade sources said on Monday, as U.S. President Donald Trump ramped up his criticism of the country over its purchases of Russian oil.India is the biggest buyer of seaborne crude from Russia, which is under Western-led sanctions over its war in Ukraine.Its main refiners paused buying Russian oil last week as discounts to other suppliers narrowed after Trump threatened hefty tariffs on imports from countries that make any such purchases, Reuters reported last week.

The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM), under the National Research Council of Science & Technology (NST), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Natural Resources Canada (NRC) to establish a new platform for international collaboration in sustainable resource technologies and support the strategic expansion of KIMM’s global R&D network.The MoU outlines collaboration in the following areas:Joint research on ammonia recovery and removal technologies,Information exchange on battery material recovery and industrial waste treatment…

Seaspan Vancouver Shipyards has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Stigterstaal Canada and Algoma Steel Inc. to explore a strategic partnership aimed at reestablishing a domestic steel supply chain focused on bolstering and expanding shipbuilding in Canada.The memorandum provides a framework for the three companies to assess the feasibility of Algoma Steel supplying Class and non-Class steel to Seaspan through Stigterstaal, who will act as a commercial and logistical subcontractor.

Terma A/S, a leader in surveillance radar technology, has partnered with Sperry Marine, a manufacturer and service provider of marine navigation systems, to deliver the SCANTER 4603 and SCANTER 6002 series of naval surveillance radar to Seaspan Shipyards for the upcoming Canadian Coast Guard’s Multi-Purpose Icebreaker and Polar Icebreaker Programs.This milestone underscores the ongoing partnership between Sperry Marine and Terma A/S and the two companies’ commitment to empowering the Canadian Coast Guard with radar technology designed for precision situational awareness…

Most countries in the Group of Seven nations are prepared to go it alone and lower the G7 price cap on Russian oil even if U.S. President Donald Trump decides to opt out, four sources familiar with the matter said.G7 country leaders are due to meet on June 15-17 in Canada where they will discuss the price cap first agreed in late 2022. The cap was designed to allow Russian oil URL-E to be sold to third countries using Western insurance services provided the price was no more than…

Canada's Liberal government will pour extra billions into its armed forces and hit NATO's 2% military spending target this fiscal year, five years earlier than promised, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Monday.Canada has been under pressure from the United States and other NATO allies for years to increase military funding. Canada currently spends about 1.4% of GDP on defense."Now is the time to act with urgency, force, and determination," Carney said in a speech in Toronto…

Vermilion Energy will sell its United States assets for C$120 million ($87.88 million), the Canadian gas producer said on Thursday, using the proceeds to repay debt and completing its exit from the U.S. market.The transaction, expected to close in the third quarter, will allow Vermilion Energy to focus on core gas-weighted assets in Canada and Europe.

Earlier this week, the team at Seaspan’s Vancouver Drydock (Seaspan) celebrated the grand opening of its new 21,000 square foot Operations Center—a two-story facility that will support the increased capabilities at Vancouver Drydock and the the marine industry on the West Coast.The new Operations Center will serve as a hub for Vancouver Drydock employees, increasing efficiency by creating a centralized location for administration, safety and operations personnel. The space will provide new offices for operations staff…

In a stride for the Canadian clean energy transition, two leaders in British Columbia’s ocean innovation sector have announced a joint initiative that forges brand new pathways for the development and commercialization of marine renewable energy and decarbonization technologies in British Columbia.The BC Marine Energy and Decarbonization Hub is a core initiative of COAST, Pacific Canada’s hub for the sustainable blue economy, delivered in partnership with the University of Victoria.

Canadian shipbuilder Davie has been awarded a contract by the Government of Canada for the construction of a polar icebreaker.Work will begin this year on the agreement valued at $3.25 billion. Davie will deliver its production-ready heavy icebreaker design called the Polar Max to Canada by 2030.To support the rapid delivery of the ship, Davie will capitalize on the expertise of Helsinki Shipyard, which was acquired by Davie in 2023 with the support of the Québec government. Helsinki…

A new era in Canadian shipbuilding is underway as Seaspan Shipyards has been awarded the contract to build one of the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) next-generation heavy polar icebreakers. This landmark project, part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), will reinforce Canada’s Arctic sovereignty, economic development, and scientific research capabilities while marking a historic revival of domestic polar shipbuilding.“Today’s contract signing is the next step in our journey of fulfilling the vision of the National Shipbuilding Strategy…

Seaspan Energy (Seaspan) completed the first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering in Canada, which took place in the Port of Vancouver in the Upper Harbour. The Seaspan Lions performed the ship-to-ship LNG bunkering to a tanker at anchor, named after the twin peaks of the North Shore, or known as Ch’ich’iyúy Elxwíkn (“Twin Sisters” or “Two Sisters”) to the Squamish Nation.Seaspan Energy’s first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering took place in December 2024 in the Port of Long Beach to a containership.

The port of Prince Rupert has welcomed the startup of Wolverine Terminals’ marine bunkering service for deep sea shipping, adding a key logistical capability to this strategic deepwater port on the west coast of Canada. Using a unique pair of barges designed by Robert Allan Ltd., Wolverine Terminals can deliver a wide range of fuels to suit the needs of vessels calling at the port, including marine diesel, heavy, intermediate, and other blends to individual customer specifications.The Wolverine Terminals fleet is composed of a transloading barge and a fuel delivery (lightering) barge.