North Vancouver shipyard launches newest Coast Guard vessel

North Vancouver's Seaspan Shipyards launched the second largest non-combat vessel to be designed and built under Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy Wednesday afternoon.

The vessel, CCGS Capt. Jacques Cartier, is named after the French navigator and explorer who most notably was the first European to map the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the shores of the Saint Lawrence River.

Dignitaries from the federal and provincial governments were on hand to mark the occasion of the non-combat ship that will be used as an offshore fisheries science vessel (OFSV). The ship, which is over 63 metres long, features four science labs and state of the art acoustic survey equipment.

The vessel's home port will be in Dartmouth, N.S. and is expected to join the coast guard after completing its sea trials later this year.

In May, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his intent to build 18 new vessels for the coast guard, using Canadian suppliers. Up to 16 of those vessels have been slated to be built at Seaspan's North Vancouver Shipyards.

The ceremonial ship launch featured a maritime tradition of breaking a bottle of champagne on the bow of the ship while wishing the vessel good luck on its future voyages.