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Serco Joins Forces with Davie on its Polar Icebreaker Program

Published: 15 Dec 2020

Serco Canada Marine (Serco) a Canadian leader in integrated, complex ship design is proud to announce its partnership with Davie Shipyard on its Polar Icebreaker program, the flagship of Davie’s National Icebreaker Centre. As a design and engineering partner, Serco will provide the Davie team with engineering, project management and production support.

With decades of experience in managing large-scale procurement and production programs for military and civilian vessels, advanced logistics, and sustainment support projects, Serco has supported the development of the Royal Canadian Navy's Joint Support Ship (JSS), the Halifax Class Patrol Frigates, the first fully electric green ferries in Ontario, and the Canadian Coast Guard's Offshore Fisheries Science Vessels, among other high-profile vessels.

Globally, Serco is recognized for its full lifecycle approach to maritime assets. It has a proven track record of delivering large, complex ship designs spanning naval, coast guard, research and civilian ships. Serco has extensive icebreaker experience, including leadership of the design and build of Australia's flagship research and supply ship, the RSV Nuyina - global experience that will be leveraged as part of Serco’s engagement with Davie.  Serco will now operate and maintain the RSV Nuyina for the Australian Antarctic Division for the next 20 years.

Launched last August, Davie’s National Icebreaking Centre is a growing centre of excellence for Polar and Arctic expertise. Its focus is on building Canadian capability that supports the rejuvenation of Canada’s ice-capable fleet. These efforts will create thousands of high-quality jobs, drive domestic economic growth and future exports of Canadian innovation. Furthermore, it will enable Canada to create a high value export sector for world-class ships for the Arctic. Specifically, building icebreakers with Davie will create a unique capability in Canada that can be leveraged on the international stage.

“Serco is committed to developing Canada’s shipbuilding industry both inside and outside the Defence market. Our Canadian footprint continues to grow as we expand our design and engineering capability and build our in-service-support offering to better serve our customers. Strategic partnerships like the one we’ve entered into with Davie Shipbuilding, allow us the opportunity to further expand our in-country offering, and better position the company for domestic and international pursuits,” said Russell Peters, General Manager of Serco Canada Marine.

“Serco is a natural partner for Canada’s National Icebreaker Centre – builder of the new Polar class, and the entire Canadian icebreaker fleet. We will immediately leverage Serco’s unsurpassed icebreaker experience both in Canada and worldwide, having recently delivered one of the world’s most advanced polar icebreakers to Australia. Having worked with Serco on other strategic projects, we know they will provide unrivalled engineering, project management and production support to our Polar program, ensuring this game-changing ship enters service to protect Canada’s Arctic interests without delay.” James Davies, President and CEO, Davie Shipbuilding.