Qikiqtaaluk Corporation said the Finland-owned MSV Nordica arrived in Iqaluit on Nov. 1, its first port call in the city. The vessel is operating through Qikiqtaaluk Horizon Arctic Services, a partnership between Qikiqtaaluk Corporation and St. John’s-based Horizon Naval Engineering.

The event follows a federal contract awarded July 30 to Qikiqtaaluk Horizon Arctic Services Limited Partnership. CanadaBuys lists the contract as a charter of one fully crewed Polar Class 3 icebreaker for the Canadian Coast Guard’s 2026 Arctic operating season, valued at $24,999,999.99. The contract is listed to expire Nov. 30. Source↗

Qikiqtaaluk Corporation says Nordica is working with the Coast Guard on icebreaking and marine services. Its Iqaluit announcement also links the vessel’s arrival to its proposed Qikiqtarjuaq deep-sea port, but that port remains a proposal, not an approved or completed project. Source↗

The charter puts a major federal marine-services contract with an Inuit-led partnership during the late 2026 Arctic operating season. The additional vessel is intended to support Coast Guard Arctic operations, while the Iqaluit visit makes the arrangement visible in the Qikiqtani region.

The $25-million amount is the total contract value shown in the current federal procurement record. It does not show how much of that amount has been paid, how revenue is divided among partners, or what direct jobs or training positions result from the Iqaluit port call.

The current federal record lists Nov. 30, 2026, as the contract expiry date. Any extension, replacement charter or longer-term Coast Guard arrangement would require a new public procurement update or contract amendment. Qikiqtaaluk Corporation’s proposed Qikiqtarjuaq deep-sea port would need separate approvals, financing and construction decisions before it could be treated as built infrastructure.

• Contract holder: Qikiqtaaluk Horizon Arctic Services Limited Partnership.
• Buying organization: Canadian Coast Guard.
• Contract number: CW2462237.
• Award date: July 30, 2026.
• Value listed: $24,999,999.99.
• Term listed: July 30 to Nov. 30, 2026.
• Scope listed by CanadaBuys: charter of a fully crewed Polar Class 3 icebreaker for the 2026 Arctic operating season.
• Qikiqtaaluk Corporation reported the Nordica’s Iqaluit port call on Nov. 1; its web post was dated Nov. 3.