Apex Industries Partners with MARL International to Light New Royal Canadian Navy Destroyers

MARL International, part of Glamox, a global leader in lighting, announced today that it is partnering with Canadian firm Apex Industries, which will manufacture its marine lighting systems under license in Canada for three destroyers for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).  

Apex Industries was awarded the lighting systems contract by Irving Shipbuilding, which will build the vessels at its shipyard in Halifax, Nova Scotia, while Lockheed Martin Canada will provide the defense equipment. The vessels are part of the River Class Destroyer program. The lighting contract covers the first three ships, with options for a further three. The RCN plans a total of 15 vessels designated ‘River Class,’ as they are named after Canadian rivers.

The interior and exterior of each warship will be fitted with energy-efficient LED marine lights, including emergency lighting, along with light management systems for their operation. An initial total of around 9,000 lights will be supplied.

MARL International, which was acquired by Glamox in August 2024, is subcontracted to Apex as the lighting design authority. MARL will transfer licensing rights to Apex to manufacture and assemble the marine lighting at Apex’s production facility in Moncton, New Brunswick.

The first three River-class vessels are named HMCS Fraser, HMCS Saint-Laurent, and HMCS Mackenzie. They are based on the ‘Global Combat Ship’ design used by the UK Royal Navy’s Type 26 frigates and the Royal Australian Navy’s Hunter-class frigates. The RCN vessels will replace the Navy’s Iroquois-class destroyers and Halifax-class frigates and will be able to perform a range of roles, from high-intensity conflict to humanitarian aid.

The first ship lighting package is scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2026, with lighting for the other vessels delivered thereafter. These warships are expected to enter service with the RCN in the early 2030s.