N.S. Company Wins $10-Million Contract For Coast Guard Repairs
LUNENBURG – ABCO Industries has been awarded a major contract from the federal government to repair search and rescue boats used by the Canadian Coast Guard.
The Lunenburg-based company was one of four companies selected from around the country to service some of the Coast Guard’s Cape Class vessels.
ABCO Director Jason Huskilson says these types of contracts are always a point of pride for his company.
“Our staff takes a great deal of pride when they see the boats we work on involved in rescue missions across the country that means a lot to them,” he said.
In a release acknowledging the announcement, ABCO said it’s please to continue support “all levels of aluminum boat building across Canada, from lobster fishing boats to uncrewed surface vessels and regulatory boats like the ones in this Coast Guard contract.”
The company is doubling the fabrications floorspace of its facilities to 40,000 square feet and adding to its engineering and fabrication team.
Huskilson says a contract of this size offers a sense of financial security in addition to the ability to continue to grow the company.
ABCO’s portion of the contract will see the company repair and refit six boats over three years. It also has an additional contract for another three Coast Guard boats. Work on that contract has already begun.
The company has worked with the Coast Guard in the past, previously making some smaller rescue crafts that are currently in service.
The other companies selected include Ocean Pacific Marine (from Campbell River, British Columbia), Hike Metal Products Ltd. (from Wheatley, Ontario), and Industries Ocean Inc. (from Saint-Bernard-sur-Mer, Quebec).
The entire contract will cost the federal government over $77-million, with $10.8-million going to ABCO.
Filomena Tassi, the Minister of Public Services and Procurement, says the contracts were awarded to companies that had a demonstrated ability to complete the work, reasonable cost proposals, and geographic proximity to the vessels in need of work.
Evan Taylor is a reporter with CKBW in Bridgewater, a Huddle content partner.