Port Weller Drydocks (SM&I) and Upper Lakes Group.

[Leo]

Like I said, clearly Port Weller has the capabilities necessary for this contract (Or at least did in very recent history, as their various projects like the CSL forebodies attest to). It's hard to understand why they wouldn't bid just because they hoped to get a government contract that isn't guaranteed.

The rationale for repealing this tariff was that Canadian shipbuilders with the capabilities of building new maxiumum size Seaway lakers didn't exist any longer. Playing devil's advocate here, a great way to urge that repeal along would be to not have the shipyard you own that could fulfill such a contract putting in a bid to build them and hurting the point you're trying to make to get the tariff lifted.

[Guest]

Port Weller Dry Dock was not interested in lake frieghter contracts

They want government contracts for icebreakers,replenishments ships and coast guard vessels.

They are one of four yards in Canada the government of Canada invited to bid on numerous ships being built for the navy and Coast guard.

[Rob W]

Not sure about $175 million, in 1976 the Canadian Olympic was built for $6 million

Look on the news page from 2/28. The Canadian Olympic was built at a cost of $28,000,000.00. Yes 28 million, not 6!

[Leo]

I forgot to add that Boatnerd's fleet photo gallery cites a $30 million construction cost for the Canadian Olympic. And I believe at that time the government subsidy was around 17% of construction cost (The writeup doesn't mention if that $30 million cost is before or after taking the government subsidy into account).

[Leo]

The numbers I see are around $25-$30 million in the first half of the 1980s for a maximum size Seaway laker (Not sure if that figure includes the 20" government subsidy of the time or not).

The William J. De Lancey only cost $60 million in 1981, so there's no way a $175 million figure for the Canadian Ambassador is accurate.

The forebody replacements and stern reburbishments that Port Weller did 5-10 years ago for CSL only ran $30 million or so a hull. It's hard to believe a complete new build would require knowledge and technology beyond what was required for that project just a handful of years ago. So I tend to believe they didn't bid to strengthen their argument to get the tariff lifted rather than because Port Weller wasn't capable of it.

[Guest]

Not sure about $175 million, in 1976 the Canadian Olympic was built for $6 million

[Guest]

I believe Canadian Ambassador was the last full-length laker to be built at Port Weller. She was christened in 1983. I'm told the cost at that time was about 175 million.
Today's price? We can only guess. Obviously no where near the price of newbuilds from overseas.

[bhale849]

Although it's too late for the Canadian Shipbuilding Industry to get in on the building of new Lakers. Ever since the repeal of the 25% tariff on overseas-built ships, one question has bothered me. Could the fact that Port Weller Drydocks (Seaway Marine & Industrial) did not offer a bid on the building of the "Equinox" ships be not because they were unablle (or uninterested) in building the ships, but because their Parent Company - Upper Lakes Group - wanted to make a stronger argument for the Tariff's repeal?