Official announcement
One of the newest of Canada’s naval ships, His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Harry DeWolf will dock at the City of Windsor’s Dieppe Gardens from October 28 to November 3, 2024. The visit is part of the vessel’s current month-long deployment in Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, which has included stops in Toronto and Hamilton.
HMCS Harry DeWolf (AOPV 430) is the first ship of its class of Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). The class was derived from the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship project as part of the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy and is primarily designed for the patrol and support of Canada’s Arctic regions. Named after Vice Admiral Harry DeWolf, a former head of the RCN, the vessel was ordered in 2011, laid down in 2016, and launched in 2018. The vessel completed sea trials in July 2020; was delivered to the RCN on July 31, 2020; and began post-acceptance sea trials before being commissioned on June 26, 2021. Shortly after its commissioning, the vessel became the first RCN ship to complete the Northwest Passage since 1954 and then went on to circumnavigate the entire continent.
The ship has a maximum displacement of 6,660 tonnes, is 103 metres in length with a 19 metre beam, holds a maximum crew number of 87, reaches a top speed of 17 knots (31 kilometres per hour), and has a range of 6,800 nautical miles.
The Harry DeWolf-class AOPVs enhance the RCN’s ability to assert Canadian sovereignty in Arctic and coastal Canadian waters, and support international operations. This is the first time in the RCN’s history that a class has been named after a prominent Canadian Naval figure. The remaining ships in the class are named to honor other prominent RCN heroes who served their country with the highest distinction. All ships in the Harry DeWolf class will be affiliated with the six Inuit regions in the north.
During the ship’s visit to Windsor, the local HMCS Hunter’s Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Commander Chris Elliott and crew will host an official welcoming ceremony on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. at Dieppe Gardens. Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens will be among those in attendance to present a City flag to the visiting vessel’s Commanding Officer Jon Nicholson.
A citizenship ceremony will take place on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, in partnership with Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Public tours of the vessel, hosted by the crew, will be available on Friday and Saturday, November 1 and 2, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Part of the ship’s public outreach includes the RCN’s marine careers expos, which are happening at all of the lower Great Lakes stops, including in Windsor on November 1 and 2, 2024. These expos aim to encourage participation in the marine trades, including with the Royal Canadian Navy.
The ship is scheduled to depart Windsor’s waterfront on Sunday, November 3, 2024, heading for a counter-narcotics mission in the Caribbean in the new year.