According to the White House press release, the signed memorandum references the President’s authority under sections 14 U.S.C. 1151(b) and 10 U.S.C. 8679(b) to permit foreign construction as a national security necessity.
It directs the United States Coast Guard to provide a plan for phasing the construction of the ASCs in a manner that facilitates the transfer of expertise domestically for the construction of subsequent ASC vessels.
In line with this decision, the President has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Finland for the construction of four icebreakers at shipyards located in Finland, after which Finnish expertise will be utilized to build seven new icebreakers at shipyards located in the United States.
The team led by Bollinger will leverage the mature and production-ready multipurpose icebreaker (MPI) design developed by Seaspan and Aker Arctic, intended for allied missions in extreme polar conditions.
– This decision is a testament to President Trump’s leadership and his historic investment in American shipbuilding, said Ben Bordelon, CEO of Bollinger Shipyards.
– We appreciate the confidence President Trump has placed in the skilled men and women of Bollinger Shipyards and we are ready to begin construction of these critical vessels on day one. The Arctic Security Cutter will enable the United States to rapidly project American power, reinforce our sovereignty, and solidify American dominance in the Arctic region.
Bollinger and its partners are responsible for building six state-of-the-art icebreakers. The first three vessels will be built concurrently by Rauma and Bollinger in the United States, and the remaining three vessels will be built in the United States. The delivery of the first three vessels is scheduled to be completed within 36 months of the contract award.
– The United States Coast Guard relies on Rauma Marine Constructions’ proven shipbuilding capability,” said Mika Nieminen, CEO of Rauma Marine Constructions.
– Thanks to our ongoing production line and ice class experience, we are ready to deliver the vessels on an accelerated schedule in close cooperation with our American partner and our allied industry. Together, we will provide the Coast Guard with the world’s most capable Arctic security vessels.
– Thanks to President Trump, this historic Memorandum of Understanding is a huge win for our state, further cementing Southeast Louisiana’s position as the leader of America’s domestic shipbuilding industry, said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (Republican, Louisiana).
– I am proud to represent the United States’ only shipbuilder, Bollinger Shipyards, which has the readiness, capacity, and expertise to begin construction of these critical vessels on day one, reflecting American power and supremacy in the Arctic region. Significant design, testing, and integration work has already been completed on the Seaspan-Aker MPI concept, allowing our team to move immediately into production.
The partnership structure ensures rapid delivery, cost certainty, and seamless vessel compatibility with the Canadian Coast Guard.
– Seaspan is extremely proud to be able to work hand in hand with our American and Finnish partners Bollinger, Aker, and Rauma to provide the United States Coast Guard with a world-class design, ready for extreme ice conditions and strengthening Arctic security,” says John McCarthy, CEO of Seaspan Shipyards.
– This contract demonstrates Seaspan’s world-class naval engineering and design capability globally and further expands North America’s ability to design, build, and export vessels operating in the Arctic region.
– Aker Arctic is proud to bring its proven icebreaker expertise to this partnership. The ASC program is a milestone for allied Arctic cooperation, and we are proud to help deliver world-class capability to the United States Coast Guard, said Mika Hovilainen, CEO of Aker Arctic
Under the ICE Pact framework agreement between the United States, Canada, and Finland, this program represents a model for allied industrial cooperation. The parallel construction of the first three vessels at Rauma and Bollinger will rapidly accelerate delivery while also ensuring a stable foundation for full domestic production in the United States. Bollinger will take full program leadership for construction and long-term maintenance occurring in the United States.
The Arctic Security Cutter is capable of breaking 1.2-meter-thick solid ice, transiting 12,000 nautical miles, and operating at sea for over 60 days, and is specifically designed to support the United States Coast Guard’s evolving missions in the most demanding conditions. Furthermore, its shared mission with the Canadian Coast Guard fleet creates the world’s largest class of comprehensive icebreaking capability, optimizing interoperability and maintenance support. The ASC fleet enables year-round access to the polar regions for national defense, maritime sovereignty enforcement, scientific research, and search and rescue operations. With this new class of vessel, the United States takes a significant step forward in establishing leadership in the Arctic region.
