The Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and the Honourable Peter Penashue, Regional Minister for Newfoundland and Labrador, on June 22nd announced the arrival of the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Vladykov to its homeport in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. CCGS Vladykov was built at the Méridien Maritime shipbuilding facility in Matane, Quebec and completed sea trials in the Gulf of St. Lawrence before arriving in St. John’s.

The vessel will undergo preparations to commence fisheries and oceanographic science work this summer in Newfoundland and Labrador and will replace CCGS Shamook which has served for 35 years.

“As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Canadian Coast Guard this year, we honour the past and look forward to an exciting future,” said Minister Ashfield. “This new vessel is a great addition to the Coast Guard’s fleet and will enhance our capacity to support fisheries science in Canada.”

“The arrival of this vessel in St. John’s is another demonstration of our government’s commitment to Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Minister Penashue. “I am proud to be a part of a government that continues to invest in fisheries science and the assets to carry out the research throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.”

CCGS Vladykov is a $16 million investment into the Canadian Coast Guard fleet and fisheries science in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Government of Canada has committed more than $1.4 billion to the Coast Guard over the past 6 years and up to $5.2 billion will be invested over the next 11 years on renewal of vessels and helicopters

The vessel has a secondary capacity for search and rescue, environmental response to pollution incidents and support to other federal, provincial and municipal departments and agencies in response to law enforcement, humanitarian and civil situations. CCGS Vladykov is a versatile fisheries and oceanographic research ship capable of deploying many types of equipment including fishing trawls, scallop drags, plankton nets, remote operating vehicles, acoustic and geophysical survey equipment and water sampling arrays.