Canada's huge $28bn national shipbuilding plan has been branded an 'international embarrassment' by the head of the yard that lost out to two rivals on orders under the programme.

A series of non-combat vessels and defence orders were split between Irving Shipbuilding and Seaspan in 2013.

But Alex Vicefield, CEO of Inocea, Chantier Davie's parent, called the orders 'bizarre' and 'exorbitant'.

"It's been five years and the two shipyards haven't built a single ship," he said.

"All