North Vancouver-based Seaspan ULC is defending itself against concerns raised by a federal spending watchdog regarding its $8 billion contract.
A Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) report released yesterday raised concerns about whether Seaspan has the experience to keep a grip on costs under its shipbuilding contract and suggested that the government’s $2.6 billion budget to build two joint support ships is low by $1.53 billion.
In response, Seaspan CEO Jonathan Whitworth issued a statement declaring that Seaspan is confident that its shipbuilding program is “solidly on track.”
“We cannot comment directly on pricing of the joint support ships or the Polar Icebreaker yet because we have not gone far enough into the planning or design processes,” he said.
Whitworth said the company signed a design contract last week for the Offshore Fisheries Science Vessel, which he called “the first step in a closely linked series of events that will lead to on-time start of construction next year.”
He said the company had hoped to sign its first contract within a year of being awarded the contract and did so in one year and four months.
Whitworth added that other company progress has included:
- hiring 41 engineers, planners, managers and specialists from Canada and beyond;
- receiving and reviewing more than 5,000 resumes;
- embarking on a $200 million shipyard modernization program to upgrade facilities;
- building seven new chip barges; and
- starting construction on two new gravel barges.
