HALIFAX, NS, August 31, 2023 – Today marked the official delivery of HMCS William Hall, Canada’s fourth Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) in the new DeWolf Class to the Royal Canadian Navy.
“The delivery of HMCS William Hall today, a full two months ahead of schedule, marks our most efficient production effort to date,” said Dirk Lesko, President, Irving Shipbuilding. “The ship-to-ship improvement we are seeing is a testament to the developing workforce we have here in Halifax, which is truly solidifying the Canadian shipbuilding industrial base needed to deliver on the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) for many years to come,” continued Mr. Lesko.
“Today’s delivery of our fourth Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel, the future HMCS William Hall, has been made possible only by the steadfast support and dedication of our Canadian shipbuilders. These modern, ice-capable ships, built by Canadians, for Canadians, will bring advanced capabilities for our Navy to serve and protect our northern waters and beyond,” said Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy.
Nancy Lochhead, Vice President of Production, commented, “AOPS 4, the future HMCS William Hall will have been built to completion (start to finish) a full three months faster than AOPS 3, HMCS Max Bernays. Given that production of HMCS William Hall was heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, this is truly a remarkable achievement, and one which speaks to the world class shipbuilding capability we are establishing here in Atlantic Canada.”
“We are producing shipbuilders locally through our apprenticeship program, the largest in Atlantic Canada. These people will have the opportunity to work their entire careers here at the Halifax Shipyard thanks to the NSS. The fact we have seen such growth in our efficiency, even with so many new shipbuilders, is really something to be proud of,” added Mr. Lesko.
William Hall was the first Black person, the first Nova Scotian and one of the first Canadians to receive the British Empire’s highest award for bravery, the Victoria Cross. Hall received this recognition for his service in the Royal Navy. The son of former American slaves, Hall was born in 1827 at Horton, Nova Scotia, where he also attended school. He grew up during the age of wooden ships, when many boys dreamed of travelling the world in sailing vessels. As a young man, Hall worked in shipyards at Hantsport for several years, before going to sea on merchant ships and joining the Royal Navy in 1852.
Characteristics of the future HMCS William Hall
Fast Facts about the future HMCS William Hall
The 2,300 shipbuilders working at the Halifax Shipyard are extremely proud of the work they do for Canada.