It’s full steam ahead for shipbuilding at Seaspan

Jamie Rogers, director of talent and global mobility at Seaspan ULC, is buoyed by his employer’s bold nautical mission. “In essence, the exciting thing about us is that we are re-energizing and rebuilding the Canadian shipbuilding industry,” says Rogers, who is based at Seaspan Shipyards in North Vancouver, B.C. “We’re creating a talent pool and opportunities for Canadians to design and build ships right here in Canada.”

Rogers notes that under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), Seaspan is now the country’s long-term, strategic partner for building large, non-combat vessels for the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard. Newer projects for the latter include the recently launched Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk, which will support research on ocean currents and the seabed in Atlantic Canada, and a new Canadian polar icebreaker, which is expected to be completed in 2030 and will support multiple missions for the Canadian Coast Guard, year-round, in the North.

As a result of its NSS-related activities, Seaspan Shipyards has contributed $5.7 billion to Canada’s gross domestic product since 2012, Rogers adds.

Seaspan also carries out repairs and retrofits for large commercial cruise ships and BC Ferries, doing so at its Victoria Shipyards and Vancouver Drydock. Another division of the company, Seaspan Marine Transportation, operates fleets of tugboats, barges and ferries that provide ship assistance and escort services, and transports materials for B.C.’s largest industries.

All that activity has engendered “the creation of a significant talent pool,” says Rogers. “We have a variety of programs that come together to do that, starting at the student level with our internship programs, graduate development, rotational programs and then strong talent-development programs and career pathways. So, there are opportunities for our employees to acquire skills, develop and move into other areas. One example is the Vancouver Shipyard’s Welding Centre of Excellence, where apprentices have the opportunity to receive hands-on training.”

The benefits of working at Seaspan also feature a progressive work environment that includes initiatives for health, safety and diversity (the company supports several employee resource groups); support for families including child care, scholarships and summer job placements for employees’ children; gym access for all full-time employees; and a generous relocation package for eligible positions. Rogers also cites Seaspan Shipyard’s annual $5,000 mental health benefit.

As well, he notes, Seaspan is a dynamic organization: “We’re open to change and encourage feedback from employees.” The organization holds regular town halls in which people are encouraged to suggest changes to Seaspan’s operations, and the leadership group is very encouraging of that mentality, he says. “We ensure everyone's voice is heard and great ideas are considered.”

For Mark Condon, all those perks help make his time at Seaspan Shipyards as a senior environmental specialist rewarding. But the critical nature of his role – making sure that the company adheres to rules ensuring it avoids negative environmental impacts, such as spills – is what really galvanizes him. “It’s a necessary operation,” he says, “but it’s something we’re very proud of.”

He notes that Seaspan has provided him with various courses and sent him to conferences, including Green Marine in Halifax, where he’s learned about, “where the industry is going in terms of its understanding and reducing its environmental impacts and what are the new, alternative ways of doing business that are cleaner.”

Among the Seaspan tasks Condon organizes is an annual cleanup of a B.C. Lower Mainland shoreline – another such cleanup takes place in Victoria. “It’s a nice little morning,” he says, “especially when you see the impact that we made on the shoreline as a team.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Canada's Top 100 Employers winners, published November 15, 2024 in The Globe and Mail. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.

Building big ships and big dreams at Seaspan

Thomas Finn, a structural engineer in training with Seaspan Shipyards, first became interested in boats when he was a teenager. Growing up in the Lower Mainland, he took sailing lessons for two summers. That fascination grew during a summer internship with a boat-building company while he was completing his BSc. And it was in full sail by the time he completed his master’s degree in naval architecture and marine engineering at the University of British Columbia.

His nearly four years working full-time for Seaspan Shipyards in North Vancouver have been a dream come true, he says. “The fact that we’re actually building something, and to get to see it go from what’s on paper as a concept to actually seeing it built, is pretty exciting.

“The other thing is just the sheer magnitude and size of the ships, like the Joint Support Ship for the Royal Canadian Navy, which I was very involved with and is almost as long as two football fields,” he continues. “When you’re down on the production floor and see how big a vessel is, there's a great sense of accomplishment and pride about all of the work that went into it.”

Under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy, Seaspan is now the country’s long-term, strategic partner for building large, non-combat vessels for the navy and the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG), notes Jamie Rogers, director of talent and global mobility.

Newer Seaspan Shipyard projects for the coast guard include the recently launched Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel CCGS Naalak Nappaaluk, which will support research on ocean currents and the seabed in Atlantic Canada, and a new Canadian Polar Icebreaker, which will support multiple missions, year-round, in the North.

“The exciting thing about us,” says Rogers, “is that we are re-energizing and rebuilding the Canadian shipbuilding industry. We’re creating a talent pool and opportunities for Canadians to design and build ships right here in Canada.”

Finn is buoyed by his sizeable company’s contribution to the country’s economy as well as the important role its ships play, and will continue to play in various missions.

He is currently working on multipurpose vessels (MPVs) for the coast guard, which will perform icebreaking in moderate conditions, scientific research, environmental response and deployment of buoys, among other tasks. The MPVs will operate on the east and west coasts of Canada, the St. Lawrence area and the Western and Low Arctic during the summer months.

Among the many other things Finn appreciates about Seaspan is its emphasis on employee development, which has benefited him. Rogers is particularly proud of the company’s training opportunities.

“We have initiatives starting at the student level and then strong talent-development programs and career pathways,” he says. “So, there are opportunities for our employees to develop and move into other areas.”

Seaspan Shipyards also carries out repairs and retrofits for large commercial cruise ships and BC Ferries, doing so at its Victoria Shipyards and Vancouver Drydock. Another division of Seaspan, Seaspan Marine Group, operates fleets of tugboats, barges and ferries that provide ship assistance and escort services, and transport materials for B.C.’s largest industries.

The company provides a progressive work environment that includes initiatives for health, safety and diversity, gym access for full-time employees, a generous relocation package for eligible positions, an annual $5,000 mental health benefit and various family-friendly measures, including parental leave.

“I have a three-year-old daughter,” says Finn. “I took two months of parental leave with top-up pay when she was born. Having the top up-pay during the parental leave is incredibly beneficial for people who want to have families.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's BC’s Top Employers winners, published February 11, 2025 in the Vancouver Sun. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.