“When we heard that Vancouver Island was the only health region in the province without this kind of unit we knew we had to act, especially considering the unprecedented impact COVID-19 is having in our communities,” said Joe O’Rourke, Vice President and General Manager of Seaspan Victoria Shipyards.
"Victoria Shipyards executed the first docking packages on the Halifax Class as they were built and stationed in Victoria, and we are proud and humbled to be awarded a contract that will allow us the opportunity to work these vessels to their end of life..."
“We are very pleased to be part of this investment in our next generation of welders,” said Joe O’Rourke, Vice President and General Manager, Seaspan Victoria Shipyards. “As the leading shipyard on the West Coast for complex vessel repair and modernization, our strength lies in our highly-skilled team ...
“As the leading ship repair and conversion operation on Canada’s west coast, having diversity in our skilled workforce is critical to our success,” notes Joe O’Rourke, Vice President and General Manager, Seaspan Victoria Shipyards. “Camosun College has been an excellent partner to help more women and Indigenous students..."
“Around 25 years ago, the Canadian Navy and Coast Guard stopped building ships,” said Joe O’Rourke, Vice President and General Manager of Victoria Shipyards, which currently employs around 1,100 trades men and women. “With that, the supplier and the knowledge-base of workers shifted away.”
Canada’s Seaspan Shipyards reports that Joe O’Rourke is joining Victoria Shipyards to succeed Malcolm Barker as Vice President and General Manager when he retires, effective Spring 2015, following more than 21 years with the company.
"[The ships] are basically just passing their mid-life," said Joe O'Rourke, vice-president and general manager of Seaspan Shipyards Victoria. "They're on the downward curve and, to keep them in service and make them safe so they can perform their mission, the maintenance requirements
In a perfect world, the dry dock at the Victoria Shipyards would always be full and Joe O’Rourke could run 800 staff per day.
But after 30 years of working in the shipyard industry, O’Rourke knows that’s never going to happen.
“Phase one of the first major LNG conversion in North America on a full-sized vessel has now been successfully completed,” said Joe O’Rourke, Vice President & General Manager of VSL. “We plan to continue to build our reputation as an industry expert for all LNG related work on the West Coast..."
A 26-acre worksite in the middle of the Capital Region employing up to 1400, we take a look inside the gates of Seaspan Victoria Shipyards to understand more about the work they do with VP-GM Joe O’Rourke.
“I am thankful that the donation from the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, in conjunction with Seaspan and Southern Railway, will enable the United Way to support the Esquimalt community in this critical time of need.” says Joe O’Rourke, Vice President and General Manager, Seaspan Victoria Shipyards.
Joe O’Rourke, vice-president and general manager of Victoria Shipyards, said Wednesday that the “growth and complexity” of Seaspan Victoria Shipyards’ long-term customer contracts have increased its need to consolidate sourcing and management of materials for vessel repair, refit and conversion projects.
