Canal Celebrates Keel Laying Milestone for Future CCGS Imnaryuaq
Canal Marine & Industrial was pleased to join Seaspan Vancouver Shipyards and the Canadian Coast Guard in marking the ceremonial keel laying of the future CCGS Imnaryuaq, an important milestone in the construction of Canada’s future flagship icebreaker.
Held at Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards on October 14, 2026, the ceremony marked a significant step in the vessel’s construction. The Polar Class 2 icebreaker will be 158 metres long and, according to Seaspan, will be the largest polar icebreaker ever designed and built in Canada.
Canal Marine & Industrial has been contributing to the program from design optimization through construction engineering and into the build phase. As a Category A supplier, our work continues as we support the production team and maintain electrical engineering deliverables for power distribution and systems automation.
This work reflects Canal’s ability to support complex marine programs from design development through construction, combining specialized marine engineering expertise with a practical understanding of the build process.
It also speaks to a bigger story taking place across Canada’s marine industry. Major shipbuilding programs bring together the specialized engineering, shipbuilding and technical expertise required to deliver increasingly complex vessels. For Canadian marine organizations, they provide an opportunity to apply and deepen that expertise while contributing to the capabilities needed to support future shipbuilding programs.
The future CCGS Imnaryuaq is being built by Seaspan under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy and is designed to operate year-round in the High Arctic, one of the world’s harshest environments to support Arctic sovereignty, scientific research, northern and Indigenous communities, and maritime emergency response, including search and rescue.
The keel laying is an exciting and highly visible milestone in the vessel’s progress. Canal is proud to contribute our expertise alongside Seaspan, the Canadian Coast Guard and the many Canadian organizations helping bring this significant shipbuilding program to life.
Congratulations to everyone involved in reaching this important milestone.
Source: Canal Marine & Industrial
Photos: Brodie Campbell, Engineering Manager, Build, Canal Marine & Industrial
