Canadian Coast Guard officially dedicates CCGS McIntyre Bay into service

From: Canadian Coast Guard

News release

November 9, 2022                    

Prince Rupert, British Columbia - The Canadian Coast Guard plays an essential role in ensuring the safety of mariners and protection of Canada’s marine environment. This is why providing the Canadian Coast Guard members with the vessels they need to continue to deliver critical services to Canadians through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, is a priority for the Government of Canada.

Today the Canadian Coast Guard officially welcomed the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) McIntyre Bay to its fleet during a dedication to service ceremony held at the harbourfront in Prince Rupert, British Columbia.

Derek Moss, Assistant Commissioner, Canadian Coast Guard Western Region joined Lorie Palmer, the Vessel Sponsor, in the traditional breaking of a ceremonial bottle upon the ship’s bow.

By tradition, a civilian is invited to sponsor a vessel for its well-being and continued service, and to wish the vessel  “good luck”. The Canadian Coast Guard is proud to have Mrs. Lorie Palmer as the sponsor for the CCGS McIntyre Bay. In addition to being a long time business owner and active member of the Prince Rupert community, Mrs. Palmer is deeply connected to the Canadian Coast Guard family. She served as home-front support to both her father, and then her husband Les, who were both key members of the Canadian Coast Guard in Prince Rupert for many years.

The CCGS McIntyre Bay is a high endurance self-righting search and rescue lifeboat that has been operating in British Columbia since 2019. Stationed at the Canadian Coast Guard’s Prince Rupert station, its operational area includes Chatham Sound, Dixon Entrance, and Northern Hecate Strait.

These new lifeboats are specifically designed, equipped and crewed to respond to search and rescue and environmental response incidents. These vessels will operate up to 100 nautical miles from shore, maintain a maximum 30 minute state-of-readiness, and are typically ready to respond the moment an alert is received.

These vessels are being stationed across Canada to provide key  services including searches on the water, responding to marine distress response calls, environmental response operations as well as assistance to disabled vessels.

Quotes

“This CCGS McIntyre Bay is just one of the vessels in this class built by Canadians for Canadians. Our government supports the Canadian Coast Guard's critical work in keeping people safe on the water while protecting Canada’s marine and coastal environment.”

- The Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

Quick facts

  • The CCGS McIntyre Bay is 19 metres in length and weigh 82 gross tonnes. It has a cruising speed of 14 and a half knots, and a top speed of 25 knots. This high-endurance vessel is capable of traveling 250 nautical miles and is able to self-right if capsized.

  • Under the National Shipbuilding Strategy, to date, 22 small vessels have been delivered to the Canadian Coast Guard. This includes nation-wide delivery of 12 High-Endurance Search and Rescue lifeboats (Bay Class), two Channel Survey and Sounding Vessels, seven Hydrographic Survey Vessels and one Coastal Research Vessel.

  • The Canadian Coast Guard leads the maritime component of the federal Search and Rescue system through distress monitoring, coordination of maritime incidents, and by providing assistance to disabled vessels and those in distress on the water.

  • Canadians rely on the Canadian Coast Guard to keep waterways safe for mariners, protect the marine environment and respond to calls for assistance 365 days a year. On an average day, the Canadian Coast Guard coordinates the response to 19 search and rescue incidents, responds to 13 search and rescue incidents, assisting 43 people and saving 13 lives. This is why providing Canadian Coast Guard personnel with the vessels they need to continue to deliver these critical services to Canadians is a priority for the Government of Canada.

  • The new search and rescue lifeboats will contribute to Canada's blue economy in keeping our waters safe for mariners and supporting environmental response operations to reduce the impacts of marine pollution in our waters.

Associated links

Contacts

Kevin Lemkay
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Fisheries,
Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
613-992-3474
Kevin.Lemkay@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Michelle Imbeau
Communications Advisor, Canadian Coast Guard
604-219-5730

Michelle.Imbeau@dfo-mpo.gc.ca


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