The US Coast Guard is launching a major upgrade of its Arctic fleet. Contracts have been awarded for the construction of all 11 Arctic Security Cutters, a program launched under Trump.
📝 Companies that received contracts:
🔘Davie Defense – up to 5 cutters. Two will be built at Helsinki Shipyard (Finland), and three in Texas (Galveston and Port Arthur). The company plans to invest $1 billion in modernizing the Gulf Copper shipyard, turning it into “America’s icebreaker factory.” 🔘 Bollinger Shipyards — up to 4 icebreakers (Louisiana)
🔘 Rauma Marine Constructions — up to 2 vessels (Finland)
📌 This is all part of the trilateral ICE Pact (USA–Canada–Finland), signed in 2024 in response to growing Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic.
Two different vessel designs are envisaged for the program:
🟠Bollinger and Rauma’s vessels will be built based on the existing multipurpose icebreaker design from Canada’s Seaspan Shipyards, developed jointly with Finland’s Aker Arctic Technology. These Polar Class 4 vessels will be able to break through ice up to 1.2 meters thick at speeds of up to four knots, travel more than 12,000 nautical miles, and remain at sea for over 60 days. Each 100-meter-long vessel, with a displacement of approximately 9,000 tons, will be equipped with a diesel-electric propulsion system producing approximately 7,200 kW, and will have a crew of approximately 85.
🟠The Davie Defense icebreaker design is based on a different, proven platform. Seven vessels based on this platform have already been built at Helsinki Shipyard and are currently in successful operation.
📅 The first vessel is scheduled to enter service in 2028, and the first Bollinger icebreaker in 2029.
💬 The United States is placing a significant emphasis on the Arctic—not only militarily but also industrially. For shipbuilders and sailors, the region is becoming one of the key areas of focus for the next decade.
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