Icebreakers, NSS 2.0 and Exporting Canadian Ship Design

Interview with Derek Buxton, VP Business Development & Ottawa, Vard Marine Inc.

In this episode of Vanguard Radio, host J. Richard Jones sits down with Derek Buxton, VP Business Development & Ottawa at Vard Marine Inc., for an in-depth discussion on the future of Canadian ship design, icebreaker innovation, and the evolution of Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS).

With more than three decades of combined service in the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Coast Guard, Buxton brings a rare blend of operational experience and technical authority to the conversation. A graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada, he has served at sea, worked on exchange with Australia's Collins Class submarine program, led acquisition and in-service support for Canada's Victoria Class submarines, and later played a key leadership role in the Coast Guard's fleet renewal and future concept development. Today, he is spearheading new global opportunities for VARD in the government shipbuilding sector.

The discussion explores:

· Icebreakers and ice-capable vessel design: What lessons has VARD Marine learned from past programs, and how are those insights shaping the next generation of Arctic and high-latitude vessels?

· NSS 2.0 and innovation: How can Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy evolve to better enable innovation, industrial resilience, and export-ready Canadian designs?

· Designed in Canada: What differentiates VARD Marine's approach to icebreaker design from traditional models, and how is Canadian engineering talent influencing global projects?

· The Vigilance program: Where does the program stand today, how has it evolved from its early inception, and what does it signal for Canada's sovereign maritime capability?

· Looking ahead: What strategic and market challenges lie on the horizon for Vard Marine, and how is the company positioning itself to overcome them?

As a wholly owned subsidiary of VARD Group AS in Norway—a Fincantieri company—Vard Marine combines Canadian naval architecture expertise with access to a global design and construction database. With offices in Vancouver, Ottawa, Houston, Vũng Tàu, and Gdańsk, the company continues to position Canadian-designed vessels on the international stage.

From Arctic sovereignty to exportable ship design, this episode delivers a timely conversation about where Canada's maritime industrial base is headed—and how innovation, vigilance, and global partnerships are shaping the next chapter.