Vanguard Magazine

F E AT U R E www.vanguardcanada.com APRIL/MAY 2026 41 The morning then proceeded with four technical showcases by: • Automatic Coating Limited on corrosion resistant coatings and their application in the marine industry, specifically warships. • Fibreglass Solutions Inc, on piping and structural refits in a maritime and naval environment to resolve corrosion and weight issues. • ARKTOS Developments on amphibious craft transforming Arctic mobility. • Lokring on cold alternatives to welding pipe. Following a networking break, the second panel discussion of the day on maritime sustainment was moderated by Commo- dore Michel Thibault, the DND Director- General Maritime Equipment Program Management. The panel, representing the full spectrum of government fleet sustain- ment activities (DND Project Manager River-Class Destroyers, CCG A/Director- General Vessel Procurement and Seaspan's Director Submarine Program), discussed the challenges of supporting both new ships joining the fleet and legacy ships that are beyond designed service life. Obsoles- cence of equipment, including new ships, as well as equipment where the OEM is foreign and long since ceased manufactur- ing the product, is a significant issue that demands a solid supply chain. The panel agreed that building ships in batches where equipment and supply chain is constantly updated with each batch (and retrofitted to older ships later) is critical to the success of long-term support. Following a luncheon break, CCG Deputy Commissioner Shipbuilding and Materiel, Robb Wight, gave an excellent presentation on the Canadian Coast Guard shipbuilding plan that will replace the legacy fleet, includ- ing the new Polar-class icebreakers, Program Icebreakers and Multi-Purpose Icebreakers being built by Seaspan and Chantier Davie. Additionally, the two CCG Arctic & Off- shore Patrol Vessels being built by Irving Shipbuilding, which he noted will be berthed in HMC Dockyard in Halifax as they are too big for existing CCG facilities. He also spoke of the move of the depart- ment from Fisheries & Oceans to DND, clarifying the CCG is not a fourth service of the CAF, but remains a Special Operat- ing Agency under the DND. This change comes with an additional mandate of con- tributing to maritime domain awareness, which is subject to legislation being passed in Parliament. Finally, he discussed the chal- lenges of improving the sustainment of the Luncheon Keynote: Robert Wight, Deputy Commissioner, Shipbuilding and Materiel, Canadian Coast Guard Le to right: Greg Horwich, Business Development Manager – Energy, Marine & Land, Gastops; Michael Combs, General Manager, Prime Mover Controls Inc.; Nurul Ibrahim, CEO, Atlantiq AI (Virtual); Steve Brown, VP of Engineering, J-Squared Technologies S H I P T E C H F O R U M Closing Keynote: Nicolas Nabaa Director General, Marine and Space Procurement, Defence Investment Agency Building a future we can all trust TEAM VIGILANCE WE'RE READY TO GET TO WORK

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