Recently, Canadian shipbuilder Seaspan Shipyards signed a steel supply agreement worth US$182 million to supply steel for six icebreakers.

It is understood that the agreement was announced on November 3. Seaspan Shipyards awarded a steel supply agreement to steelmaker Algoma Steel Inc. and Canadian steel company Stigterstaal Canada, with a contract value of approximately US$182 million, covering steel required for the construction of up to six Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers.

Under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), the contract covers up to 24,000 tonnes of Canadian-produced structural steel, with about 4,000 tonnes of steel used per vessel. Algoma Steel Inc. is responsible for steel production, while Stigterstaal Canada provides marine steel processing and distribution services. The cooperation continues the relationship established by the three parties in 2025.

This order is the largest polar-grade steel order in Algoma Steel Inc.’s history, and the steel materials will also be used for Seaspan Shipyards’ heavy polar icebreaker—the future Canadian Coast Guard vessel CCGS Imnaryuaq.

Rajat Marwah, CEO of Algoma Steel Inc., said: “This is the largest polar-grade steel order in our mill’s history, and it is a proud moment for our plant team and for the Canadian steel industry.”

Currently, Seaspan Shipyards’ orderbook includes up to 16 multi-purpose icebreakers, while this steel agreement covers materials for only up to six vessels. The icebreakers are designed domestically in Canada and built at Seaspan Shipyards in British Columbia. The vessels are about 100 meters long, have a displacement of nearly 9,000 tonnes, and a rated crew of 50.

The vessels use diesel-electric propulsion and have a Polar Class 4 (PC4) icebreaking rating. They can operate in the southern Canadian Arctic and offshore waters, undertaking missions such as icebreaking, search and rescue, environmental emergency response, and maritime patrol. Backed by the National Shipbuilding Strategy, Seaspan Shipyards’ supply chain brings together more than 880 Canadian companies, with related contracts totaling more than C$3 billion.

Seaspan Shipyards is a Canadian shipbuilding and repair company with facilities in North Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, and a workforce of more than 5,700 people. Algoma Steel Inc. is headquartered in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and produces steel plate and sheet products for industries including energy, automotive, and infrastructure. The company is transitioning to electric arc furnace steelmaking and upgrading its plate mill. Stigterstaal Canada is part of the Netherlands-based Stigterstaal Group and focuses on steel supply for the maritime and offshore sectors. The company has committed, through direct and indirect investment, to ensuring 100% Canadian content for steel supplied to Seaspan’s National Shipbuilding Strategy projects.