Davie Defense Inc. gives a first glimpse today of the “American Icebreaker Factory” – a planned $1 billion transformation of the historic Gulf Copper shipyardin Galveston, Texas.
The American Icebreaker Factory concept was created in collaboration with Florida-based Pearlson, which has led major projects for leading American shipbuilders, including BAE Systems, Austal USA and Fincantieri Marinette.
The American Icebreaker Factory project embodies the Trump Administration’s priorities, including the Executive Order on American Maritime Dominance, theSHIPS for America Act, and the creation of the Office of Shipbuilding.
“Recapitalization of the nation’s icebreaker fleet and closing the shipbuilding gap with China are now clear national priorities,” said Kai Skvarla, CEO of Davie Defense. “Our skills and capability are perfectly matched to address these imperatives and deliver the ships America needs to protect our vital interests in the polar regions.”
The American Icebreaker Factory would be the biggest increase of new U.S. shipbuilding capacity for decades.
A purpose-built facility to build new U.S. Coast Guard ships like the Arctic Security Cutter (ASC). It will be backed by Finland’s Helsinki Shipyard – Davie Defense’s sister company, a leading icebreaker builder responsible for 100% of the complex polar icebreakers built in Finland over the past 25 years. It is currently building thePolar Max, which when delivered to the Canadian government by 2030, will be among the world’s most advanced and powerful icebreakers.
Once strategic shipbuilding programs are secured, Davie Defense said it could directly support over2,000 skilled jobs at the Gulf Copper facilities in Texas and over 7,000 jobs statewide. This could generate total state-wide economic impact of over $9 billion, according to an independent study by Texas-based specialist, Impact Data Source.
A formal ceremony is planned in Texas this fall to commemorate the beginning of construction of America’s most modern shipbuilding facility.
Image courtesy Davie Defense Inc.
