Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) is not just about building ships – it’s about revitalizing an industry. While tasked with providing the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Coast Guard with advanced fleets, the NSS is also reshaping Canada’s shipbuilding sector to be globally competitive and sustainable.
Beyond procurement, the NSS is a transformative investment in innovation, job creation and economic growth. It is rebuilding an industry that struggled for decades, fostering collaboration between shipyards, suppliers and design experts to redefine the future of Canadian shipbuilding.
Yet, the challenges are immense. Modern vessels demand upgraded designs and technologies, while Canada’s vast geography requires seamless coordination across shipyards and partners. At the heart of this success is digital transformation – a powerful enabler that ensures precision, efficiency and real-time coordination on a national scale.
Transforming Shipbuilding: The Digital Edge in NSS Projects
Canada’s shipbuilding industry faces substantial complexity, but digital solutions are making it possible to integrate design, engineering and production into streamlined workflows. This integration boosts operational efficiency, enhances engagement among stakeholders and positions the industry for sustainable growth.
Key benefits of digital shipbuilding include:
- Precision in Design and Production: Minimizing errors and waste through advanced tools.
- Collaboration: Bridging geographical barriers between shipyards, suppliers and designers.
- Lifecycle Support: Digital twins and integrated systems provide long-term maintenance and upgrades.
Digital Foundation Drives Innovation and Economic Benefits
This digital foundation drives not only technical innovation but also profound economic benefits. Between 2013 and 2026, the program is expected to contribute $14.2 billion to GDP and support an average of 9,400 jobs annually. Additionally, the NSS’s $12 billion in spending commitments to Canadian businesses fosters local innovation and strengthens global competitiveness. Together, these advancements solidify Canada’s position as a leader in shipbuilding innovation.
The Role of SSI in Building a Digital Shipbuilding Industry
SSI has been at the forefront of Canada’s digital shipbuilding revolution. Through the Digital Shipbuilding Platform and ShipConstructor, SSI provides the tools necessary to implement advanced workflows that support vessel construction and sustainment.
ShipConstructor’s Impact
ShipConstructor’s CAD-based software connects design, engineering, and production, ensuring smooth transitions from concept to fabrication. It facilitates real-time collaboration and optimizes the management of complex designs – critical for modern naval and Coast Guard vessels. This integration accelerates shipbuilding timelines, reduces costs and ensures that each vessel meets stringent performance standards.
Sustaining Vessels with Digital Twins
As vessels built under the NSS continue to serve, SSI collaborates with the Canadian Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy to ensure long-term sustainment. Through digital twin technology, SSI solutions supports vessel lifecycle management by providing insights for maintenance, upgrades and enhanced operations.
Seaspan and Genoa Design: Leading the Way in NSS Projects
Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards has been instrumental in advancing NSS projects, delivering high-tech vessels like the Joint Support Ship (JSS), Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel (OOSV), and Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels (OFSVs). These projects highlight next-generation design and engineering brought to life through SSI’s ShipConstructor.
ShipConstructor streamlines workflows, supporting Seaspan in achieving precision and quality from concept to completion. By integrating design, engineering, and production workflows, the software reduces manual effort and enhances efficiency. Automated systems like HGG’s automatic profile-cutting and PEMA welding lines further drive smooth production, ensuring vessels meet rigorous performance and sustainability standards.
The launch of JSS1 in December 2024 will mark a major milestone, reflecting the success of these advancements, while efforts to complete JSS2 continue. SSI CEO Denis Morais comments:
“The JSS built by Seaspan stands as a testament to the success of the NSS. Despite challenges, shipbuilding processes have become more efficient, and collaboration among Seaspan, Canadian supply chain partners and government representatives has reached new levels of maturity. Today, the ships we are building are world-class, reflecting the hard work and dedication of hundreds of Canadians and contributing millions to our economy. The pride in our accomplishments is evident across the entire team.”
Supporting Success: Genoa Design International
Integral to Seaspan’s success is Genoa Design International, the design office responsible for production-ready designs of Seaspan’s vessels. Using ShipConstructor, Genoa has been critical in translating complex naval concepts into high-quality results. The utilization of design tools with production workflows has been crucial to meeting the sophisticated requirements of the JSS and other NSS projects.
This collaboration highlights how combining advanced technologies with workshare efforts between Seaspan, Genoa, and SSI drives Canada’s shipbuilding goals.
Future Impact: Supporting Canada’s Fleets for Decades
The NSS is about building a future. As Canada’s shipyards evolve, SSI remains a committed partner in ensuring the industry’s long-term sustainability.
Sustaining Fleet Readiness
Through digital twins originating from ShipConstructor and ShipbuildingPLM, SSI helps Canada’s naval and Coast Guard fleets remain mission ready. These technologies facilitate maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) management, upgrade planning and optimization of vessel performance throughout their decades of service.
Economic and Industrial Benefits
The NSS impacts more than just shipyards. By fostering a digital shipbuilding industry, it supports jobs, innovation and economic growth across Canada. From suppliers to engineers, countless Canadians contribute to the success of the country’s fleets.
SSI’s Role in a Digital Future
The NSS has shown that a digitally enabled shipbuilding industry is essential for meeting modern naval and Coast Guard needs. SSI’s contributions – providing advanced tools, fostering collaboration and supporting sustainment – have been vital in realizing this vision.
SSI embodies the spirit of the NSS. SSI’s David Males says: “The spirit of the NSS is not just to make the bigger companies richer, but to help the small to medium enterprises flourish in it. Rebuilding in a rebuilt shipbuilding industry, SSI’s participation was at the SME level.”
As the industry grows, SSI will continue to innovate and collaborate with partners across Canada. By enabling efficient, sustainable shipbuilding, SSI is not only supporting the NSS – it is shaping the future of Canadian shipbuilding.