Canadian Coast Guard's newest rescue boat formally enters service

The Canadian Coast Guard has officially welcomed a new locally-built search and rescue (SAR) boat into service. CCGS Barrington Bay is already in operation in Newfoundland and Labrador, having been delivered to the coast guard by Ontario shipbuilder Hike Metal Products in November 2023.

The aluminium-hulled, 19-metre boat was designed by Vancouver-based naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd. The design is a development of the Severn-class lifeboats operated by the UK's Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Improvements over the Severn-class include a larger size, greater range, and specific design elements for dealing with extreme weather conditions encountered year-round in the waters off Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. The boat therefore has self-righting ability and is durable enough to withstand 12-metre seas and Beaufort Force 12 conditions.

The boat is operated by four crewmembers. As part of its standard operating profile, it will be limited to sailing 100 nautical miles from shore. The boat is also configured to maintain a maximum 30-minute state-of-readiness, which means it will be ready to respond as soon as an alert is received.

Barrington Bay is the 15th Bay-class SAR boat to be delivered to the Canadian Coast Guard since 2017.