On his recent visit to Germany, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced TKMS and Hanwha Ocean as the final bidders for Canada’s new submarine deal. This decision is an important step in enhancing Canada’s naval capacities. This announcement is a huge step in the right direction for Canada. It represents a central strategy to reform the nation’s maritime forces in a rapidly evolving defense landscape. The announcement comes on the heels of a stunning series of diplomatic and military engagements designed to raise the flag and deepen ties between Canada and Germany.
On his visit to Berlin earlier in the week, Carney highlighted the need to strengthen defense partnerships. The German embassy in Canada is sponsoring a reception in Halifax. This event will collaborate with leaders across the defense sector to continue the beauty of the momentum established by Carney’s conversations in Germany. This event is designed to promote that collaboration and take a deeper look at the potential for opportunities in growing the defense industry.
A notable highlight of Carney’s trip was the visit of a German Navy Berlin-class joint-support ship to Canada’s East Coast. The purpose of this visit is to underscore the deepening strategic and defense relations between the two countries. It demonstrates Germany’s commitment to partnering with Canadian soldiers. Four Canadian sailors were onboard the visiting German ship, a testament to the cooperative spirit shared between the two countries.
On Tuesday, Carney’s visit focused on the TKMS shipyard in Kiel, particularly discussing the delivery timeline for the submarines. During his visit, the company presented a 200+ slide deck detailing their very lofty plans. TKMS has committed to delivering the first Canadian submarine by 2034, with a second vessel to come two years later in 2036.
The German shipbuilding company’s CEO, Oliver Burkhard, said the company was committed to winning the submarine contract and was looking forward to helping meet Canada’s defense and security requirements. He added, “The assumption is we produce it here, but I guess the customer is always right, right? Burkhard stressed that if Canada wants specific production mandates to be delivered in Canada, TKMS can meet those requirements.
Germany’s Ambassador to Canada, Matthias Lüttenberg, expressed confidence in meeting Canada’s proposed timeline for submarine delivery. He remarked, “An earlier delivery is perfectly feasible from our point of view.” This is a club Germany are very happy to see Canada join, Lüttenberg added. This club is limited to those nations that have chosen to operate 212CD submarines.
The ongoing discussions have involved TKMS representatives meeting with three major Canadian shipbuilders: Davie, Seaspan, and Irving. Giving evidence on behalf of TKMS, Joachim Schönfeld stated the company’s desire to involve all three shipbuilders in the project. This is contingent upon their winning the competitive bid. He added that if he only talks as a planner in the name of TKMS and does not talk to existing German and Norwegian customers, he will miss the expectation timeline. He thinks they might even be able to produce them at least two years before the 2035 cut-off.
The strategic partnership between Canada and Germany exemplifies the determination to strengthen and develop defense capacities in light of escalating global security threats. As both nations move forward with this submarine contract process, stakeholders remain optimistic about the potential benefits for Canadian shipbuilders and the broader defense industry.
