Navy Seeks Designs for Barrier

The Canadian Navy is moving ahead with plans to build a floating fence around its dockyards in Halifax. Right now there is no physical barrier stopping any boat from targeting the navy's 22 major warships in Halifax and Esquimalt on the West Coast. The navy hopes a two-metre-high barrier will prevent attacks like the one in Yemen in 2000, when a small boat loaded with explosives rammed into the American warship USS Cole. Seventeen sailors were killed and 39 injured.

The navy has put out tenders for the $3.5-million fence, which will stretch 1.5 kilometres in Halifax Harbour and rest about 100 metres from the vessels. The floating fence will stretch across the waterfront.

The navy has yet to select the design of the floating fence. But work could start as early as March. In 2003, the navy tightened control around its ships in Halifax Harbour by setting up security zones. Officials were given the power to control access to waters near their jetties and around their ships.