shore Patrol Ships (AOPS) being built for the Canadian Coast
Guard. This ceremony also included the keel laying for AOPS 7
and the initiation of construction for AOPS 8.
AOPS 7, designated as the first AOPS for the Coast Guard, will
be named CCGS Donjek Glacier, inspired by the Donjek Glacier
in Kluane National Park, Yukon. AOPS 8, the final vessel in the
AOPS series, will be named CCGS Sermilik Glacier, after the
Sermilik Glacier in Sirmilik National Park, Nunavut.
The keel laying ceremony, a tradition with roots in ancient
Rome, symbolizes the commencement of a ship's construction.
"The keel laying and start of construction for CCGS Donjek Gla-
cier and CCGS Sermilik Glacier are important milestones and
further proof points that the National Shipbuilding Strategy
is working. The 2,400 shipbuilders of the Halifax Shipyard are
proud to be building these multi-functional ships, which will
serve the Canadian Coast Guard well for decades to come," ex-
pressed Dirk Lesko, President, Irving Shipbuilding Inc.
Under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), Irving Ship-
building is tasked with constructing six AOPS for the Royal
Canadian Navy, two for the Canadian Coast Guard, and 15 Riv-
er-class destroyers. The AOPS for the Coast Guard will serve
various missions, enhancing capabilities for fisheries enforce-
ment on the east coast, search and rescue, icebreaking opera-
tions, and bolstering Canada's Arctic presence.
New Arctic Patrol Vessels Unveiled for Canadian Coast Guard
S
SIT REP
10 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2024 www.vanguardcanada.com
Image source: https://shipsforcanada.ca/our-stories/future-arctic-
and-offshore-patrol-ships-for-canadian-coast-guard-officially-
named-ccgs-donjek-glacier-and-ccgs-sermilik-glacier
At an event held at Halifax Shipyard on July 31, 2024, notable
figures such as Darren Fisher, MP for Dartmouth-Cole Harbour;
Robb Wight, Director General of Vessel Procurement at the Ca-
nadian Coast Guard; and Dirk Lesko, President of Irving Ship-
building, gathered to reveal the names of two Arctic and Off-
