Seaspan welcomes selection of qualified bidders for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project
Aug. 27, 2025 — Victoria, B.C. — Seaspan, a long-standing sustainment partner for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), welcomes yesterday’s announcement by the Government of Canada that it has taken the next steps to procuring a new fleet of submarines by identifying Thyssen Krupp Marine Systems (TKMS) and Hanwha Ocean Co., Ltd. (Hanwha) as the two qualified suppliers for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP).
For more than 15 years, Seaspan has been providing maintenance, repair and sustainment support for the RCN’s current fleet of submarines. Through this work, Seaspan has built a large, highly skilled and experienced Canadian submarine workforce and a dedicated Canadian supply chain for servicing and outfitting naval submarines. Our deep relationships with the RCN Fleet Maintenance Facilities are a critical element for future success. Seaspan is ready today to help Canada protect its sovereignty by providing long-term, in-service support of the future submarines, ensuring a high operational availability for the RCN’s Pacific fleet.
Seaspan has been proactively working with potential CPSP submarine builders and the Government of Canada on a plan for leveraging the extensive, established experience and capabilities to ensure a smooth transition between the existing and the new class of submarines upon their arrival in Canada. Our expertise and learned experiences will contribute significantly to a successful transition into service for Canada’s new submarines. By continuing to keep submarine in-service support as a sovereign capability in Canada, the operational needs of the RCN will be the top priority, and the program will generate significant economic benefits for Canada’s marine and defence industry.
“What is most critical for the success of this program is for the submarine builder to engage with the Canadian submarine enterprise on day one as a full strategic partner,” Dave Hargreaves, Senior Vice President – Strategy, Business Development and Communications, said. “Leveraging the submarine builder’s experience with international partnerships and establishing foreign in-service support capabilities will be essential for success of this program. Combining that experience with Seaspan Shipyards, as a fully Canadian company, is the best path to both operational success for the Navy and broad, long-term economic and strategic benefits for Canada.”
With the longest coastline in the world, having a modern, readily available and ice-capable submarine fleet is crucial for Canada to be able to respond to current and emerging threats, and help keep Canadian sailors safe at home and abroad.
We look forward to working with the successful bidder and the RCN to support Canada’s future submarine fleet for decades to come.
QUICK FACTS
Seaspan’s Victoria Shipyards is an important contributor to Canada’s economy. According to an economic analysis conducted by Deloitte, since 2012, Victoria Shipyards has contributed more than $1.7 billion to Canada’s GDP, while creating or sustaining nearly 1,800 jobs annually.
Victoria Shipyards recently completed its largest-ever Docking Work Period under the Halifax-Class Work Period contract, delivering HMCS Calgary back to the RCN.
Throughout the past 30 years, Victoria Shipyards has performed repairs and maintenance on nearly 500 vessels, including Royal Canadian Navy frigates, submarines, cruise ships, ferries and foreign navy vessels.
Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, Seaspan has invested more than $35 million to support education, learning, research and skills development in the marine industry, with a special focus on reducing barriers for underrepresented groups, bringing a range of new talent into the industry and the trades, including more women and Indigenous people, and creating opportunities for youth through internships and apprenticeships.
ABOUT SEASPAN
Seaspan is a leader in Canada’s ship design, engineering, building and ship repair industry. With modern facilities and a dedicated workforce of about 4,300 in North Vancouver and Victoria, the company is a trusted and strategic partner on a range of complex projects for both government and the private sector.
Noah Note: I don't think I have to tell anyone that Seaspan will be the future West Coast hub for the future CPSP. As a long-standing member of Team Victoria-Class, along with Babcock and BMT, Seaspan maintains Canada's Submarine mantinence capability among the big three, a role they will continue when new ones enter service.
So to see them be a bit proactive is nice. Acknowledging ones role and aiming to clarify and establish relations ahead of schedule is a good thing when you know you'll be a contributor.
Taking the steps to identify the requirements and needs of both potential options, as well as the concepts and packages both are imagining for ISS is a crucial step that will need to be undertaken before we receive our first sub.
That could be in as little as seven years, so there is much work to be done on a small timescale. Building out the proper infrastructure and support network for new assets is something that we continue to struggle with.
We saw it a few weeks ago in the F-35 report but it truly is an issue across the board. So getting a feel early is always good, especially when companies like Hanwha, always the proactive and prepared, already have a concept for what that looks like. They had a whole model built out to show it at CANSEC!
The role of the Eastern maintenence facility for the project remains in the air. Neither company has discussed who they are talking to for obvious confidentiality reasons.
Hanwha, see above, has already established a firm relationship with Babcock, signing a Strategic Cooperation Agreement with them last year to explore cooperation in the maritime domain.
Babcock Canada has even held symposium and events with Hanwha Ocean regarding Submarine In-Service Support. This on top of the fact that they supply the Weapon Handling System for the KSS-III.
So Hanwha has already taken an important lead in courting the major Canadian talent for Submarine In-Service Support. I dont think that shocks anyone that the people known for agreesively getting things done and establish local partnerships have aggressively been scooping up major Canadian firms.
Securing a proper agreement with someone like Seaspan is undoubtedly on the top of the priority list for bith companies. TKMS has been actively trying to get at it, and has been focusing on securing partnerships with the major yards.
TKMS also maintains a fairly active relationship with Seaspan already, thanks to the work both have done as part of the Joint Support Ship project. Officials from TKMS were in Canada two weeks ago doing a scope of the West Coast looking to build out their local roster.
The competition is heating up. Im hoping to connect more with officials from both companies to better understand and discuss their plans and solutions. Hopefully I can get something done there before people start picking!
Nice to see Seaspan is well placed for either option
While I’m not familiar with either sub except as outlined by your excellent blog. I’m very impressed with the approach the South Korean’s are taking. Ion batteries, wow!