Canadian Coast Guard’s oldest serving vessel, the CCGS Hudson, is being put out of service after 59 years, in what the agency calls the “end of an era”.
The East Coast Oceanship vessel was determined to be “beyond economic recovery” after its starboard propulsion engine failed in November.
“Further investment will not allow it to return to reliable service,” reads a news release from the Canadian Coast Guard and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
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In 2019, the CCGS Hudson needed repairs and maintenance for hull deterioration, fuel tanks and on-board systems.
At the time, a Quebec shipyard condemned the ship as irreparable, and refused to bid on a lucrative contract on the grounds that it “posed a serious and real threat to the safety of marine life.” However, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) said it was inaccurate.
The Hudson had a $ 4 million recovery in Ontario in 2016 and has done more work on it since returning to its East Coast port in Dartmouth, NS in 2017.
The agencies said Wednesday that CCGS Hudson was a key platform in the Department of Fisheries’ oceanographic science program. Its permanent replacement is expected to be delivered only in 2025.
“Discussions are focused on what parts of the science program can be completed by other Canadian Coast Guard vessels, by chartered vessels, or by the use of other technologies,” the release reads.
The agency says it will plan a celebration of the ship and its crew’s achievements in the coming months.
“Canadians will have the opportunity to share memories and experiences of their own interactions with the ship and all of its previous crews.”
– with files by David Akin
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