Trading Places: RCN ships complete hull swap

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A recent Change of Command ceremony in Esquimalt saw two Halifax-class frigates swap not only their captains but also a majority of their crews.

The Feb. 7 ceremony at the Wardroom saw a rare hull swap between the two vessels when Commander (Cdr) Meghan Coates relinquished her command of HMCS Vancouver and immediately assumed command of HMCS Regina, with most of her crew coming along for the new posting. Meanwhile, Cdr Tyson Bergmann with most of Regina’s commissioned and non-commissioned members went the other way and will now reside in Vancouver.

The Navy’s ongoing attrition crisis and sailor shortage, combined with the recent conclusion of Vancouver’s deployment to the Indo-Pacific region in December 2023, were the determining factors in the swap, says Commodore (Cmdre) David Mazur, Commander of Canadian Fleet Pacific.

“It is not standard procedure to do a hull swap, but several options were looked at and this was determined the best for the Navy and its sailors,” Cmdre Mazur said. “This was the best mechanism to give Vancouver and crew a little time off after their recent deployment and then embark on a completely new challenge of putting a ship back together.”

A full hull or crew swap has not occurred in the Pacific Fleet in several years, Cmdre Mazur added. On the East Coast, HMCS Charlottetown and HMCS Montreal underwent a similar transition in February 2023.

 
Cdr Bergmann was born and raised in Port Alberni, B.C., and joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1997. He served as Director of Operations for Canadian Fleet Pacific with other notable positions, including Executive Officer of HMCS Ottawa, Commanding Officer (CO) of the Patrol Craft Training Unit, Operations Room Officer for HMCS Algonquin and Bridge Watchkeeper in HMCS Toronto. 

Cdr Bergmann said the hull swap and transfer to a new frigate do not come without challenges.

“The biggest challenge is promoting ownership of the ship,” he said. “The crew that were on Regina felt connected to the ship and its namesake city, and took ownership of its equipment; going over to another ship is like starting from scratch.” 

Today, Cdr Bergmann and his crew focus on preparing the new ship for the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise later this summer. A subsequent Indo-Pacific deployment will likely follow.

Originally from St. Stephen, N.B., Cdr Coates became a Naval Warfare Officer in 1999. Her postings included Bridge Watchkeeper aboard HMCS Fredericton in 2005, Above Warfare Officer for HMCS Calgary in 2008 and Executive Officer of Calgary from July 2020 to August 2021.

Cdr Coates took command of Vancouver on Feb. 3, 2023, and proceeded to prepare the ship for deployment on Operation Horizon. This is Cdr Coates’ second appointment as Regina’s Commanding Officer, as she was appointed the vessel’s CO in June 2022.

“It’s going to be a full-circle moment for me when Regina goes back to sea, so I am really looking forward to working with my crew in bringing this vessel back,” Cdr Coates said. “Cdr Bergmann, I am also so excited to see what you and your team do in the next few months, and I know Vancouver could not be in better hands.”

The crew will continue restoring and reactivating Regina after its recent Victoria Shipyard repairs. The following steps will be sea training trials and ensuring the ship is adequately prepared to proceed to sea safely and equipped for damage control to fight fires and floods.