To strengthen Arctic security and revitalize the shipbuilding industry, the United States plans to collaborate with Finland to build up to 11 icebreakers.
Recently, U.S. President Trump and Finnish President Alexander Stubb signed a memorandum of understanding, allowing for the construction of up to four “Arctic Security Cutters (ASC)” in Finland on the grounds of “national security needs.” Simultaneously, the memorandum requires the U.S. Coast Guard to develop a plan to ultimately introduce icebreaker construction capabilities to U.S. domestic shipyards.
According to the memorandum, Finland will build four icebreakers in its domestic shipyards, then transfer the relevant technology and experience to the United States to enable the construction of up to seven additional similar icebreakers in U.S. shipyards. The White House stated that the two countries will work closely to accelerate the construction progress of the icebreaker fleet and revitalize the shipbuilding industries of both nations.
Trump said: “We will buy the best icebreakers in the world, and Finland is famous for building icebreakers.”
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo pointed out: “This is exactly the good news Finland needs. The Finnish government and various ministries have worked hard for months to achieve substantive results. Closer cooperation with the United States is crucial for Finland’s maritime industry, economy, and employment.”
Currently, an international consortium led by the U.S. firm Bollinger Shipyards has won the contract to design and build six icebreakers for the U.S. Coast Guard. The team, consisting of Bollinger Shipyards, Finland’s Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) shipyard, Canada’s Seaspan shipyard, and the Finnish design company Aker Arctic Technology, will use a multi-purpose icebreaker design co-developed by Seaspan and Aker Arctic, which is ready for mass production, for mission execution in harsh polar environments.
In addition to the team led by Bollinger Shipyards, Canada’s Davie Shipyards will also participate in the Arctic Security Cutter construction project, building another type of icebreaker based on its fourth-generation Multi-Purpose Polar Support Ship (MPPS) design.
According to Bollinger Shipyards’ construction plan, the first three icebreakers will be built simultaneously in Finland and the United States, and the remaining three will be built entirely in U.S. shipyards. The partners plan to deliver the first three ships within 36 months of contract signing. This ship type is designed to break through ice up to 4 feet (approximately 1.2 meters) thick, with a range of 12,000 nautical miles (approximately 22,200 kilometers), and can operate continuously for over 60 days.
The United States urgently needs to build new icebreakers to update its fleet. Currently, the U.S. Coast Guard operates only three oceangoing icebreakers: the heavy icebreaker USCGC Polar Star, commissioned in 1976; the medium icebreaker USCGC Healy, commissioned in 1999; and the icebreaker USCGC Storis, which was just converted from a merchant ship and commissioned last month.
Assessments by the U.S. Coast Guard indicate that at least nine Arctic Security Cutters are needed to meet U.S. national security requirements in the Arctic region year-round.
Recently, Trump signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill” act, specifically allocating nearly $90 billion (approximately 641.16 billion RMB) to the U.S. Coast Guard for the construction of a series of heavy, medium, and light Arctic Security Cutters.
This investment includes $4.3 billion for the new generation Polar Security Cutters program—fully funding the construction of three heavy icebreakers at Bollinger Shipyards; an additional $3.5 billion will be used to build three Arctic Security Cutters and other maritime assets.
In recent years, the geopolitical importance of the Arctic region has continued to rise. Trump had previously clearly stated his desire to reposition the Arctic at the top of U.S. priorities. He pointed out that, for national security reasons, the United States needs to acquire ownership of Greenland, while the Coast Guard will expand its icebreaker fleet.
Shortly after his inauguration ceremony this January, Trump also publicly stated that the U.S. government plans to procure up to 40 heavy icebreakers. U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman, Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker, believes that as the Arctic becomes a stage for great power competition, the U.S. Coast Guard needs to significantly enhance its icebreaking capabilities to safeguard U.S. interests in the region.
