Carnival Radiance Refit at Seaspan Victoria Shipyard Boosts Maritime Sector Seaspan Victoria Shipyard completes a two-week refit of the Carnival Radiance, with 1,000 tradespeople and 50,000 work hours, boosting the local maritime industry. At Seaspan’s Victoria Shipyard, a two-week refit of the Carnival Radiance cruise ship involved about 50,000 hours of work, according to Martin Drews, vice-president of Seaspan Victoria Shipyards. The project, which began in early 2025, took place at the Esquimalt Graving Dock in Victoria, British Columbia, and employed roughly 1,000 tradespeople working around the clock. Major Refit Work at Victoria ShipyardThe refit focused on replacing the main propeller shaft seals and the majority of the ship’s thrusters. These tasks were part of a long list of projects completed during the two-week period. Drews noted that such projects are important for growing the maritime sector.Approximately 30 per cent of Seaspan’s Esquimalt business is commercial work involving cruise ships, cargo vessels and B.C. Ferries. The remaining 70 per cent consists of maintaining the Royal Canadian Navy’s Pacific Fleet. Drews highlighted the unique skill set of the workforce, which can work on cruise ships and also on submarines and major surface combatants.Economic Impact and Future GrowthSeaspan Victoria estimates that it contributes $300 million per year to British Columbia’s GDP, with tens of millions of dollars going directly into the local economy. Drews said he would like to see the workforce grow by at least 500 tradespeople in the coming years.This growth is driven by potential work from the federal government’s National Shipbuilding Strategy over the next 20 years. The strategy includes new warships, Arctic patrol vessels and long-range patrol submarines. Drews commented that this is the time to be in the navy and the maritime industry because building infrastructure and ships will take time and maintenance will continue well into the future.Esquimalt Graving Dock and Carnival RadianceThe Esquimalt Graving Dock is owned by the federal government and was built in 1927. Seaspan is its tenant. It is one of six graving docks built in the early 1900s worldwide to support the maritime industry. Five years ago, it underwent a 350-metre expansion and can now accommodate two ships at a time.Fulvio Persico, captain of the Carnival Radiance, said the cruise ship came to Esquimalt because it was close to its home port in Long Beach, California. The ship is there with a crew of more than 1,000. Persico said the crew is working but in their free time they can explore the surroundings, and there are no complaints. The crew members are also spending money in and around the Capital Region.The main reason Seaspan Victoria Shipyard is so busy is its location along the cruise route to Alaska. This allows ships to make a quick two- to three-week pit stop in Esquimalt before returning to service. Drews called the yard a gem for both the commercial and defence industries. Over the coming years, it is expected to become busier, employing hundreds more people and feeding the local economy on southern Vancouver Island.