US President Donald Trump and Finnish President Alexander Stubb have signed an agreement to build up to 11 new icebreakers for the US Coast Guard, aimed at strengthening national security and expanding presence in the Arctic.
Under the memorandum of understanding, Finland will construct the first four Arctic patrol cutters at its shipyards, after which the US will use Finnish expertise to build up to seven more vessels at American shipyards. The total value of the program is estimated at $6.1 billion.
“We are buying the best icebreakers in the world, and Finland is known for building them,” Trump said. Stubb called the decision a strategic move, emphasizing the Arctic’s importance for global security.
As part of the deal, three ships will be built at Davie Defense in Texas and four at Bollinger Shipyards in Louisiana. First deliveries are scheduled for 2028. The project is expected to create thousands of jobs and inject billions of dollars in new investments into the US maritime industrial base.
Bollinger Shipyards will design and build six vessels in partnership with Rauma Marine Constructions, Seaspan Shipyards, and Aker Arctic Technology, using a proven multipurpose icebreaker (MPI) design.
Davie Defense also confirmed its readiness to invest up to $1 billion and support the modernization of the US icebreaker fleet, calling the initiative the largest allied shipbuilding cooperation since World War II.
Currently, the US Coast Guard operates only two active icebreakers, while Russia has about 40, giving Moscow a major advantage in the Arctic. The new agreement is seen as a crucial step toward restoring balance and strengthening the positions of the US and NATO in the region.
