Shipbuilding Association of Canada reacts to today's CBC article: Implores the government to sign the Davie supply ship contract without further delay

OTTAWA, Nov. 20, 2015 /CNW/ - The Shipbuilding Association of Canada is surprised and disappointed by the reported delays in the signing of Davie Shipyard's At-Sea Support Services contract by the government.

Following the Harper government's refusal to adopt the shipbuilding procurement strategy suggested by all Canadian shipbuilders in 2009 through the Shipbuilding Association of Canada (letter attached), to build large ships at large shipyards, small ships at small shipyards and so on, the Canadian naval and coastguard fleet renewal has failed to achieve any of its objectives in terms of schedule and value-for-money.

In 2012, the Canadian shipbuilding industry was reinvigorated by a series of multi-million dollar investments in Davie, Canada's largest shipyard by a major British-owned marine group, which since then has spearheaded innovation in the domestic shipbuilding industry.

Davie's Project Resolve is lean and innovative and leverages the best-practices adopted by our allied navies throughout the globe.

Following an exhaustive industry solicitation process and then months of deliberations by all the relevant governmental departments, Davie's solution was selected as the only one which met the needs of the Royal Canadian Navy. After further months of negotiations and independent audits, the agreement was concluded and is ready to sign. 

There must be no further delays. The navy needs ships and Canada needs its navy. Now more than ever.

SOURCE Shipbuilding Association of Canada

PDF available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/media/2015/11/20/20151120_C6927_PDF_EN_550519.pdf

Peter Cairns, President, Shipbuilding Association of Canada, 222 Queen Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5V9, Tel: [phone], Fax: [phone]