Ontario Shipyards mothballs its Thunder Bay facility
Ontario Shipyard’s has mothballed its Thunder Bay facility because of lack of work and skilled workers (Source: Ontario Shipyards)
Canadian Great Lakes ship repairer Ontario Shipyards (formerly known as Heddle Shipyards) is closing its Thunder Bay yard temporarily due to lack of repair work, a shortage of skilled workers and the non-arrival of some newbuilding sub-contract work for the contract for the construction of a new icebreaker for the Canadian Coast Guard.
The Thunder Bay Shipyard struck a deal in 2020 to build block sections for two polar icebreakers to be built in Canada for the Canadian Coast Guard, as part of the country’s National Shipbuilding Strategy. To carry out this work the yard acquired local company Fabmar Metals the following year to facilitate the development of this work.
Vancouver-based shipbuilder and repairer Seaspan Group was in charge of the icebreaker project, but due to delays one of the vessels was awarded to Quebec’s Davie Shipyard and plans to subcontract block work to Thunder Bay Shipyard are still unknown. The Thunder Bay Shipyard specialises in the repair and maintenance of commercial vessels operating on the Great Lakes, and has a graving dock (227.7m x 29.9m x 4.9m) capable of accommodating Seawaymax vessels.
Ontario Shipyards has been repairing vessels on the Great Lakes for the past 35 years and also has shipyards in Port Weller and Hamilton.
