Canada shipbuilding in Shanghai

CFP ^ | May 16, 2005 | Judi McLeod

[MikeEdwards]

Four years ago, Canadian Steamship Lines International, a subsidiary of the Prime Minister Paul Martin-blind trust Canada Steamship Lines, entered into a deal with Shanghai-based Jiangnan Shipyard to build two bulk cargo vessels--at $45-million per ship.

CSL has moved shipbuilding from Canada and the West to Communist China.

The two Chinese-built bulk cargo vessels are not the first ships built for CSL in the Orient.

The Sheila Ann, a bulk carrier named after Martin’s wife, was built in China in 1999.

In spite of its name, the Sheila Ann may never have come to public attention.

But a few days after his June 28, 2004 election as Canadian Prime Minister, 83 kilograms of cocaine, with a street value between $12-million to $14-million was found in an underwater grate attached to the bottom of the vessel.

When the two $45-million vessels from the Shanghai shipyard set sail on the world’s seas, they will never be recognized as Canadian owned.

According to Transport Canada, "the vast majority of vessels in the Canadian-controlled international fleet operate under foreign flags and employ foreign officers and crew."

CSL operates more vessels abroad than it does in Canada.

"The company’s U.S.-based subsidiary CSL International has 19 vessels in its fleet, which are registered in foreign locales such as the Bahamas or Vanuatu and are often crewed by lower-paid seamen from the Ukraine or the Philippines." (Ottawa Citizen, Feb. 8, 2004). "By contrast, the Montreal-based parent company, Canada Steamship Lines sails just 17 ships domestically, according to the CSL’s own fleet listings." . . . .

[Clive]

Ping

[Captain Rhino]

Any idea/info about how large this vessels will be (DWT/dimensions)? 45 million dollars canadian just doesn't go very far these days.