July 23, 2024
This year marks a decade since Big Blue, Seaspan’s massive gantry crane was erected at Vancouver Shipyards. The crane, which stands 80 metres tall and can lift 300 tonnes, has become a landmark of the North Vancouver waterfront.
Just as recognizable as its bright blue beams is its name: Hiyí Skwáyel, meaning “Big Blue” in the Squamish language.
Christened by Ella Tinto, a grade 4 student from Boundary Elementary in 2014, the suggestion was chosen from more than 200 submissions from North Vancouver elementary school students who took part in a contest to name the structure.
On May 21, 2014, Ella and her family were invited to a special naming ceremony to unveil the moniker of Canada’s largest gantry crane. The celebration marked the start of a new chapter at VSY, shaping the shipyard we’ve come to recognize today.
In honour of the 10th anniversary, we invited Ella, now a University of Victoria student, and her dad, Tony, back to VSY for a tour.
With the crane not yet operational back in May 2014, it was the first time they had the opportunity to go up to the top of Big Blue.
“This is so cool,” Ella squealed as they stepped out onto the main girder taking in the crane’s 360° view.
“I don’t think I fully understood the scale of the shipyard’s operations when I was younger. Seeing these ships now, especially from up here, gives me a new perspective on the work Seaspan does and why Big Blue is so important.”
When asked how it feels to have named such a critical piece of infrastructure, Ella emits a sense of pride.
“It’s a unique honour. My family still lives in North Vancouver, and you really can see Big Blue almost everywhere. It’s cool to know I played a part in naming it and to learn more about the ships it’s helped build.”
Ella is now a third-year university student studying to become a teacher with a focus on Indigenous studies, but knows she always has a backup plan if teaching doesn’t work out.
“I can always add ‘Named the largest gantry crane in Canada’ to my resume’ if needed,” she jokes with a smile.