Vanguard Magazine

28 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 www.vanguardcanada.com G A M E C H A N G E R See the full interview online Q What is the one thing that has you most fired up today? I am tremendously excited about the huge amount of potential in our workforce at Seaspan and the next generations of Ca- nadian leaders. We have relatively quickly developed some of the best and brightest leaders in shipbuilding here at Seaspan and they are well prepared to handle the challenge of managing four first of class programs concurrently. Q What is a habit that contributes to your success? I try to connect with people I work with on a personal level. When I am out in the yard I ask people about their families and personal lives and get to know them be- yond the business. To successfully lead an organization of 4,000 people, you need to have the trust of your team in you as a leader. You build this trust through mak- ing daily connections. Q How is your organization changing the game within your industry sector? Through the NSS, we have been given the extraordinary opportunity to revital- ize Canada's shipbuilding. We are in the midst of harnessing the full economic and social potential of the shipbuilding program and creating tangible benefits for the marine sector across Canada. Through our NSS supply chain, more than 700 Canadian companies have now been involved in building ships for Canada, with nearly 500 being small and medium-sized businesses. This presents more than $2.4 billion in contracts to Canadian companies which would not have existed without our work under the NSS. Seaspan has also developed the largest marine engineering and design capability in Canada with 300 engineer- ing staff and 400 partners. Through these efforts, we have helped build a vibrant and thriving marine industry on Canada's strategic west coast, which is important for our country's security and sovereignty. Q How has innovation become engrained in your organization's culture and how is it being optimized? Technological investments combined with a more experienced workforce make Seaspan one of the most modern, efficient and capable shipyards in North America. In production, we have invest- ed heavily in advanced manufacturing with robotic welding and cutting-edge fabrication equipment driven directly from a 3D CAD model (3-dimensional computer-aided design). In addition, we have a dedicated innovation team here at Vancouver Shipyards who are constantly exploring new and more efficient ways in which we can build ships for Canada. One such example is our new HoloShip platform, which we launched in 2022. The HoloShip platform is an immersive visualization system that allows design- ers, engineers, production teams, and our customers to virtually experience a fully detailed, three-dimensional, and ac- curate digital model of a vessel, using an integrated 5.6-metre-wide display wall and virtual reality headset. Digital twin- ning of vessels in shipbuilding offers huge potential for efficiency in both construc- tion and maintenance through all phases of a ship's lifecycle. Q What technologies, business models, and trends will drive the biggest changes in your industry over the next two years? In the manufacturing sector, the topic on everyone's minds at the moment is the lack of skilled trades workers. These ships don't build themselves, so we are always on the hunt for more welders, steel work- ers, pipefitters, etc. Being able to attract and retain a workforce will be critical not only to our own success, but others in defense and general construction. In BC alone, there are expected to be 85,000 job openings in the skilled trades through 2031. We are trying to get ahead of that, through partnerships with programs like ACCESS Trades as well as providing fund- ing for the Trades Foundation for Youth Program, which will see BCIT provide technical training at four high schools in the Vancouver area for in-demand skilled trades. But with nearly 80% of all upcom- ing construction and manufacturing job openings due to retirement of the existing workforce, it will be a constant challenge for the sector in Canada and across North America. Q What is your parting piece of advice? For the NSS, it would be to stay the course. Canada and industry have invested heavily in building a tremendous sover- eign shipbuilding capability from a largely moribund industry just 10 years ago. Both Seaspan and Irving are now delivering on the promise and investment from the NSS and have created tens of thousands of jobs across Canada for the shipyards and the pan-Canadian supply chain. JOHN McCARTHY CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER SEASPAN SHIPYARDS

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