HMCS Shawinigan (MM 704)

Shawinigan was laid down on 26 April 1996 by Halifax Shipyards Ltd. at Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was launched on 15 November 1996. The ship was commissioned into the Canadian Forces on 14 June 1997 at Trois Rivières, Quebec and carries the hull number MM 704.^[6] After commissioning she was assigned to Atlantic fleet. On 28 June 1998 Shawinigan took part in the 75th anniversary of the naval reserves at Halifax and was featured on a commemorative stamp issued for the event.^[6]

In August 2014, Shawinigan took part in Operation Nanook, an annual joint military exercise performed in northern Canada.^[7] During that deployment, Shawinigan set the record for traveling the furthest north of any ship in the history of the Royal Canadian Navy, reaching a maximum latitude of 80 degrees and 28 minutes north. In March 2015, as part of Operation Caribbe, Shawinigan, along with sister ship Goose Bay and the US frigate USS Kauffman, intercepted a vessel in the Caribbean Sea carrying 1,017 kilograms (2,242 lb) of cocaine.^[8][9]

In August 2016, the ship sailed with Moncton to the Arctic to take part in Operation Nanook.^[10][11] Once the operation is over, Shawinigan partnered with the Canadian Coast Guard vessel CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier to continue the archaeological examination of the sunken vessel HMS Erebus and to aid in the search for HMS Terror.^[12] Shawinigan and Moncton returned to Halifax on 30 September.^[13] On 22 January 2019, Shawinigan and sister ship Kingston departed Halifax for operations off West Africa as part of Operation Projection, working with African nations as well as the United States, United Kingdom and France.^[14] The vessels returned to Halifax on 26 April.^[15]

On 26 January 2020, Shawinigan and Glace Bay departed Halifax as part of Operation Projection off West Africa. Once there, the two vessels took part in two naval exercises Obangame Express and Phoenix Express.^[16][17] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, their mission was cut short and the vessels were recalled, returning to Halifax on 9 April.^[18]

In June 2021, Shawinigan was deployed to the Caribbean under the command of Cdr Bill Sanson as part of Operation Caribbe. On 18 July, the ship seized 675 kg (1,488 lb) of cocaine from a small smuggling vessel, followed by the interception of another small boat on 21 July, capturing 774 kg (1,706 lb). The ship returned to Halifax in August.^[19] In July 2023, Shawinigan and sister ship Summerside were deployed to the North Atlantic Ocean and Baltic Sea as part of Operation Reassurance for mine-clearing operations.^[20] They returned to Halifax in November.^[21]

In July 2025 it was announced that Shawinigan and seven of her sister ships would be decommissioned before the end of the year.^[22] The ship was decommissioned on 3 October 2025 at Halifax.^[23] The ship was decommissioned on 3 October 2025 at Halifax.^[24]

• Macpherson, Ken; Barrie, Ron (2002). The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910–2002 (Third ed.). St. Catharines, Ontario: Vanwell Publishing. ISBN 1-55125-072-1.
• "Volume 2, Part 1: Extant Commissioned Ships – HMCS Shawinigan". National Defence and the Canadian Forces. 7 July 2006. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
• Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2004). Jane's Fighting Ships 2004–2005 (107 ed.). Alexandria, Virginia: Jane's Information Group Inc. ISBN 0-7106-2623-1.
• Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2008). Jane's Fighting Ships 2008–2009 (111th ed.). Surrey: Jane's Information Group Inc. ISBN 978-0-7106-2845-9. OCLC 225431774.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to HMCS Shawinigan (MM 704).

• HMCS Shawinigan (MM 704) – official website