Revolutionizing the U.S. Coast Guard’s Icebreaking Fleet Expansion
In a groundbreaking collaboration aimed at bolstering the U.S. Coast Guard’s capabilities in the Arctic region, Bollinger Shipyards, Rauma Shipyards, Seaspan Shipyards, and Aker Arctic have joined forces to deliver cutting-edge Arctic Security Cutters (ASCs) as part of the Coast Guard’s ambitious icebreaker program.
This strategic partnership unites the shipbuilding expertise of the United States, Canada, and Finland to address the urgent Arctic mission requirements of the Coast Guard. With close to $9 billion in funding secured under President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill”, the consortium aims to deliver the first vessel within 36 months of contract award, utilizing a mature, production-ready design.
“This collaboration signifies a concerted effort to fortify the U.S. industrial base, expand America’s shipbuilding capacity, and empower American workers with the expertise to lead in a new era of strategic competition,” stated the companies in a joint declaration.
A Trilateral Approach
The partnership is built on the ICE Pact framework between the U.S., Canada, and Finland, ensuring that the ASC program is rooted in U.S. production while benefiting from global proficiency in ice-class shipbuilding.
“In alignment with President Trump’s directive to enhance and modernize America’s icebreaking fleet, Bollinger is honored to spearhead this partnership, focusing on speed, quality, certainty, and results,” affirmed Ben Bordelon, President and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards. “The Seaspan-Aker MPI design is the most advanced, construction-ready design available, and we are bringing proven capability, invaluable lessons, and unparalleled U.S. capacity to bring it to fruition.”
Proven Ice-Class Expertise
Rauma Shipyards brings decades of experience in constructing technically intricate vessels for severe winter operations. “We are fully equipped to commence construction immediately, leveraging a mature design and extensive experience in building vessels for operations in harsh Arctic conditions,” affirmed Mika Nieminen, President and CEO of Rauma Shipyards. “Beyond construction, Rauma offers added value through crew training, bridge simulator programs, and ice trials to support commissioning and enhance operational capabilities.”
Seaspan Shipyards, a frontrunner in ice-class design and the builder of one of the world’s largest portfolios of ice-capable vessels, underscored the strategic importance of the project. “We take pride in collaborating with Bollinger, Rauma, and Aker Arctic to share our expertise in icebreaker design and engineering with the United States,” stated John McCarthy, CEO of Seaspan Shipyards. “Through the ICE Pact, we are bolstering Arctic security and advancing the long-term capabilities of our nations’ shipbuilding industries.”
Aker Arctic, renowned for designing the majority of the world’s operating icebreakers, provides the technological backbone of the partnership. “Together, we will leverage our expertise to construct state-of-the-art icebreakers that meet the highest standards of mission capability and reliability,” affirmed Mika Hovilainen, CEO of Aker Arctic Technology.
The Seaspan-Aker Multi-Purpose Icebreaker (MPI) design surpasses all Coast Guard ASC requirements and supports all 11 statutory missions. Capable of breaking four feet of ice, covering 12,000 nautical miles, and operating for over 60 days without resupply, the MPI design is shared with the Canadian Coast Guard fleet, ensuring interoperability and establishing the world’s largest class of multi-mission icebreakers.
By amalgamating a ready-to-build design with a clear transition to full U.S. production, the partnership offers the fastest-path, lowest-risk solution for delivering crucial polar capability to the U.S. Coast Guard.
