One of the Royal Canadian Navy's recently acquired surface ships suffered flooding while it was participating in a multinational naval exercise off Hawaii earlier this month.
The Harry DeWolf-class Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) HMCS Max Bernays had been deployed along with two other Royal Canadian Navy vessels as Canada's contribution to the biennial Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC). According to reports, one of the ship's two onboard seawater cooling systems suffered a leak, causing it to take on an estimated 20,000 litres of water while it was off Hawaii on July 12.
Canadian defence officials clarified that the crew were able to quickly identify the leak, which then prompted an immediate return to the nearest port in Pearl Harbor. The ship has since remained pierside in Hawaii, but no estimates have been provided on when repairs will be completed.
Max Bernays is the third of the Harry DeWolf-class ships, which were manufactured by Irving Shipbuilding of Nova Scotia. The ship was delivered in 2022 and was commissioned into service in May 2024.
The Harry DeWolf-class ships have come under scrutiny due to cost overruns equivalent to US$582 million and technical issues that became evident from the time the ships were introduced into service. For instance, an investigation conducted in December 2022 found that the potable water systems on the first five AOPS also include valves and fittings made from alloys with lead content that exceeds allowable levels, raising the risk of contamination among crews.