Reviews & Ratings for the Capt-Jacques-Cartier

The Canadian Coast Guard is actively overseeing issues affecting its newly-acquired offshore fisheries science vessels, namely the 'Sir John Franklin', 'Capt. Jacques Cartier', and 'John Cabot'. Essential components such as propulsion shaft tubes and seawater intake valves have been reported to require repairs or replacements due to concerns like corrosion, premature wear, and improper labeling. Notably, a malfunction involving a motor speed control switch on the 'Sir John Franklin' resulted in a fire aboard the vessel, prompting a stop-sail directive from independent inspectors commissioned by Transport Canada Marine Safety. Fortunately, this faulty controller was identified as a rare occurrence. Constructed at Seaspan Shipyard in Vancouver for a total investment of $778 million, these vessels became operational between 2019 and 2021, aimed at enhancing fisheries science and monitoring across the Pacific and Atlantic regions. The critical stern tube bearings facilitate the smooth rotation of the propellers. Both the 'Sir John Franklin' and 'John Cabot', the youngest ship in the fleet based in St. John's, have had necessary repairs implemented. In April, the Halifax-based 'Capt. Jacques Cartier' is scheduled to be removed from the water for refurbishment, during which its propeller shaft tube bearings will also be replaced, with the tender closing next week. Observations of early bearing wear have prompted these upgrades, and seawater piping along with valve failures across all three vessels have necessitated part replacements, a task now completed. An in-depth report revealed various potential issues contributing to these failures, including fluid flow rates, galvanic corrosion due to different metals, and valve mislabeling. Each vessel comes with a one-year warranty post-delivery; as of January 2022, only the 'John Cabot' remained under warranty when its stern tube bearings were repaired. The 'Sir John Franklin' had its bearings fixed during an unrelated dry dock visit in fall 2021, incurring costs of $410,978.53. Despite propulsion variable frequency drives being covered under an extended warranty, their failure occurred post-expiration. Repairs on the starboard drive happened during a $2.4 million refit. Investigation revealed that the failure mechanism was extremely rare and no similar defects were found on the other two vessels. Following the completion of maintenance in December, the American Bureau of Shipping lifted the stop-sail order, allowing the ship to resume operations in January.

The Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) 'Capt. Jacques Cartier' has yet to commence operations, remaining inactive 1.5 years post-delivery to its Halifax-area base. The ship has not completed essential sea trials or initiated necessary training missions, which are critical before it can be declared operational. A combination of equipment malfunctions, delays in obtaining replacement parts, and COVID-19 travel restrictions in Nova Scotia has severely impacted the initial schedule. This week, the 'Capt. Jacques Cartier' is anticipated to leave the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth to resume sea trials aimed at testing and calibrating essential instruments, notably a crucial trawl winch. This winch experienced a total failure during the last trial conducted in December 2020, halting its operations completely. In the previous autumn, the ship underwent a series of preliminary sea trials to assess oceanographic instruments that measure conductivity, temperature, and depth, as well as acoustic and trawling equipment on board. These trials revealed issues with data transmission and software integration related to the acoustic sensors, alongside malfunctions affecting the winches, as highlighted in data released under access to information regulations. The most critical incident involved the complete failure of the starboard trawl winch, which is responsible for retracting nets and substantial metal weights that ensure nets remain submerged. This mishap occurred while more than two kilometers of cable were deployed, and unfortunately, the winch could not be reactivated. Fortunately, repairs have been made to the acoustic sensors, which are now poised for retesting. Likewise, the previously malfunctioning winch has been diagnosed and rectified, with the issue being pinpointed to a bearing failure that rendered the gearbox ineffectual. Under warranty, the bearing has been replaced, and the gearbox complications have been resolved. Since the last sea trial, the 'Capt. Jacques Cartier' also underwent a refit alongside where the cooling system was thoroughly cleaned and flushed, also covered under warranty. Inspections were actively being conducted last week, and the vessel was awaiting additional parts for the seawater system. An initial fishing expedition for the 'Capt. Jacques Cartier' is slated to occur with the CCGS 'Alfred Needler', which is still finishing up a $1.7-million refit at the Newdock shipyard in St. John's, a project originally due to finish in April but extended because of increased steel work requirements. The 'Alfred Needler' is not expected to return to service until mid-June. Initially, 'Capt. Jacques Cartier' and 'John Cabot' were scheduled to initiate comparative fishing operations in April 2020, anticipated to conclude in December 2021, encompassing eight calibration experiments that would require a total of 43 additional weeks of vessel time.