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30Maritime Reporter & Engineering News FEATURE THE SHIPYARD EDITION rving Shipbuilding is lo- cated in Halifax Harbor, an ice free deep water port which is the world?s sec- ond-largest natural harbor. Irving is Canada?s largest East Coast shipyard, sit- uated along the Great North Circle trad-ing route and some 500 nautical milesNortheast of Boston. Its close proximityto the US Eastern seaboard, as well asThe Canadian Navy?s Atlantic Fleet, makes it strategically located for com- mercial newbuild/ship repair work, along with Federal Fleet maintenance and re-pairs. Irving also own three smaller facil- ities, all located within three hours of itsHalifax yard, providing the flexibility to take on large projects and share work amongst the group. Irving Shipbuilding is part of the J.D. Irving Group of companies and is in thebusiness of building ships and repairing vessels. The company is comprised of four manufacturing sites: Halifax Ship- yard (Corporate Head Quarters), Wood- side Industries, Shelburne Ship Repair, and East Isle Shipyard on PEI, as well as four engineering offices across Canada under Fleetway, Inc. Irving Shipbuilding is currently competing to be selected bythe Federal Government to build and maintain Canada?s fleet for the next 30 years. The 1,200 men and women of Irv- ing Shipbuilding specialize in building military and commercial vessels, ship re- pair, conversion, as well as the repair and fabrication of offshore structures. Irving Shipbuilding is the only Cana- dian company currently building major federally-funded ships ? a 3-year, $194 million contract to build nine mid-shore patrol vessels for the Canadian Coast Guard is well under- way. Measuring 42.95m x 7.31m x2.65m draft, the first vessel will enter service in 2011, with all 9 vessels to be delivered by 2013. Each of the vessels will accommodate 14 personnel, and aredesigned primarily for safety patrol,search and rescue, and economical water security. The company is also working on mid- life refit of the first of the HALIFAX Class vessels under the Canadian Navy?s Frigate Life Extension (FELEX) program ? an 8-year, $549 million contract for re- pair and service expected to be complete in 2020. The program is designed to pro- vide essential Mid-Life Refits (MLR), Dock Work Periods (DWP) and engi- neering changes to seven East Coast frigates, and is expected to be complete by 2017.The Irving Shipbuilding leadership team has invested more than $90 mil- lion between 2006 and 2011 in its em-ployees, as well as infrastructure, technology and facilities upgrades. Irving Shipbuilding is committed to growing and developing the next genera- tion of shipbuilders today and currently has more than 250 apprentices working alongside experienced shipbuilders, gain- ing the valuable knowledge of Navy stan- dards, specifications and shipbuilding practices. In fact, it is these investments that are paying high dividends to Irving Shipbuilding: dividends that see an en- gaged, committed and enthusiastic work- force eager to take on Canada?s future needs. Over the past several years, the percentage of Halifax Shipyard employ- ees receiving trade, computer, safety and process improvement education has been consistent and growing, with more than 90 percent of the workforce receiving training in 2010. Irving is currently involved in two major Federal procurement projects,which are as follows: 1. The FELEX Project ? A mid-life extension program for Canadian Patrol Frigates. 2. Mid Shore Patrol Vessel Project ?Irving will build nine of the aforemen- tioned vessels for the Canadian Coast Guard.The duration of these projects is from2010-2017 at an estimated value of three- quarters of a billion dollars.Irving will also find out later this year whether its bid to build the Federal Fleet?s next generation of vessels has been successful. The value of this con- tract is $35 billion dollars.Irving Eyes $35BGovernment Contract At a glanceIrving Shipbuilding Inc. Halifax Shipyard  East Isle Shipyard  Shelburne Ship Repair Woodside Industries 3099 Barrington Street, Halifax, Nova, Scotia Canada B3K 5M7Tel: +1 (902) 423-9271 E-Mail: [email protected] www.irvingshipbuilding.com Executive Team Jim Irving, CEO, Irving Shipbuilding Steve Durrell, President Scott Jamieson, Vice President Programs Jack Berglund, Vice President Sales/Projects Mike Roberts, Vice President Corporate Development Bruce Allain, Vice President Finance Jim Irving, CEO (left) and Steve Durrell, President, Irving Shipbuilding, eagerly await the outcome of a potential $35B Canadian government contract.IIrving is currently involved in the FELEX Project; a mid-life extension program for Canadian Patrol Frigates. MR Aug. 11 # 4 (25-33):MR Template 8/5/2011 9:13 AM Page 30