Halifax

The Government of Canada has awarded two contracts to MDA Space to equip the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN)’s Halifax-class ships with up to six uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS).

The initial acquisition contract for two UAS is valued at approximately $39 million (including taxes) and the initial in-service support contract has an estimated value of $27 million (including taxes) for a period of five years and could be extended up to 20 years.

These UAS will enhance the RCN’s ability to conduct long-range surveillance and targeting operations.

This investment is part of the Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (ISTAR-UAS) project. The project will cover acquisition, integration and long-term in-service support. Initial operational capability is anticipated in 2028, with full operational capability expected in 2032.

“The Royal Canadian Navy’s Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance Uncrewed Aircraft Systems capability is vital in safeguarding Canada’s maritime interests. These advanced systems extend our reach, enhance our situational awareness, and strengthen our ability to respond to emerging threats – both at home and abroad. As Canada continues to face evolving security challenges, this capability ensures our sailors have the equipment they need to successfully conduct operations in a rapidly changing world,” said David McGuinty, Minister of National Defence.

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The planned high-speed ferry between Bedford and Halifax will be delayed at least two years, the municipality says, because work is being held up by land negotiations.

The ferry is expected to eventually move people between Mill Cove in Bedford and the Halifax waterfront in just 18 minutes. 

All three levels of government committed $260 million in funding last year for two ferry terminals and five electric ferries, which were expected to be in place by 2028.

But municipal spokesperson Brynn Budden said Wednesday that work cannot move ahead until the "required land acquisitions" are in place. She said the provincial government is leading the land acquisition, but no money to buy these parcels has been spent yet.

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The second total loss of a fishing vessel in a month has fortunately not resulted in loss of life. The Fortune Pride sank in severe weather off Halifax February 4 with the deaths of all four crew members. The latest loss was the result of fire while the boat was alongside a Glace Bay, NS. It is not clear from early reports whether anyone was aboard The Cape Ashley at the time, but it has been confirmed that there was no loss of life.

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Canada’s Ocean Supercluster (OSC) announced three new ocean innovation projects valued at more than $9 million, including the $4.5M Forecast AI Project led by Victoria, BC-based MarineLabs. This new, collaborative OSC project will support operational efficiencies, improve marine safety, and grow ocean AI technology. 

MarineLabs’ Forecast AI enables hyper-localized, highly accurate weather forecasts for the marine industry. Current publicly available forecasting models struggle to capture the precise topographic features influencing local wind and wave formation, hindering marine operations such as mariner working conditions and vessel port approaches. More accurate weather intelligence for port operations and vessel pilots will mean significant efficiency advantages, improved overall marine safety, and reduction to greenhouse gas creation. 

This project will leverage Artificial Intelligence capabilities to push Canada to the forefront of marine weather intelligence, further growing our competitive advantage and leadership in the sustainable ocean economy as well as in ocean AI. The use of AI combined with extensive observed data from MarineLabs’ expanding sensor network will provide access to high accuracy forecasts from numerous coastal locations around an area of interest, such as a port, offering actionable insights to optimize maritime operations and improve safety. 

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HALIFAX—In a significant step towards sustainable marine research and zero-emission ship design, Oceans North, in partnership with Miawpukek Horizon Maritime Services, Allswater, and MEOPAR, recently announced that it has received project funding from the Government of Canada to design a state-of-the-art, multi-use, zero-emission ocean research vessel.

This project will provide the conceptual design for a new Canadian ocean research vessel and assess the feasibility of zero-emission propulsion technologies, setting a new standard for deep ocean and remote area research in Canadian waters.

The design will consider the combination of zero-emission fuels with battery technologies that will allow the vessel to operate in “ultra-silent” mode, significantly reducing underwater noise when entering sensitive ocean ecosystems. In addition, the project will develop and utilize new versatile, modular research infrastructure that will allow the vessel to support a wide range of oceanographic and commercial activities, ensuring Canada can operate at the forefront of Arctic and marine research for the next 50 years.

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Colliers Project Leaders on behalf of Halifax Regional Municipality would like to make members of the Canadian Marine Industries and Shipbuilding Association aware of opportunity #2024-0200 "Request for information for Supply of 5 High Speed electric Ferries for the Mill Cove Ferry Service" which was issued on March 27th, 2024. This Request for information has a submission deadline of April 18th, 2024 at 2pm Atlantic Time Zone.

This opportunity is available at  Bids and Tenders-Halifax on HRM's procurement portal.

Please keep an eye out on  Bids and Tenders-Halifax for the future procurement documents.

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Defence Minister Anita Anand announced Friday a proposal to establish an innovation hub in Halifax for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

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When it comes to nautical life, a leak in information about boat is better than a leak in the boat.

Halifax Fire expects that its new fireboat will arrive in Halifax Harbour in the next couple of weeks. And while its not really a leak, a photo did start circulating online Monday of the new vessel, which is named Kjipuktuk, the Mi’kmaq word for the land and harbour area of what would later become known as Halifax.

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