In a major move to accelerate the expansion of the U.S. Coast Guard’s polar icebreaking fleet, shipbuilding leaders Bollinger Shipyards (USA), Rauma Shipyards (Finland), Seaspan Shipyards (Canada), and Aker Arctic (Finland) have announced a strategic partnership to deliver next-generation Arctic Security Cutters (ASC).
Funded under the U.S. government’s $9 billion program, the project aims to deliver the first vessel within 36 months of contract award, utilizing a proven, ready-for-production design to ensure fast, low-risk execution.
📌 This trilateral initiative is grounded in the ICE Pact agreement between the U.S., Canada, and Finland. It guarantees the program’s industrial base remains American while drawing on global expertise in ice-class shipbuilding.
“This strategic partnership is focused on strengthening the U.S. industrial base, expanding shipbuilding capacity, and equipping American workers with leadership skills in an era of global strategic competition,” the companies stated jointly.
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Key Partners and Contributions:
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Bollinger Shipyards – U.S.-based lead yard, responsible for full-scale production.
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Rauma Shipyards – a seasoned Finnish builder of complex Arctic vessels, offering crew training, bridge simulators, and ice trials.
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Seaspan Shipyards – a top-tier designer and builder of ice-class vessels, contributing engineering and infrastructure support.
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Aker Arctic – the global leader in icebreaker design, providing technical expertise and design foundation.
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About the Seaspan–Aker Multi-Purpose Icebreaker (MPI):
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Meets all 11 U.S. Coast Guard ASC statutory mission requirements
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Icebreaking capability up to 1.2 meters thick
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Endurance of up to 60 days and 12,000 nautical miles range
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Fully interoperable with the Canadian Coast Guard fleet, enabling joint Arctic operations
By combining a ready-to-build design with domestic production, the partnership offers the fastest and lowest-risk path to delivering critical polar capability for the U.S. Coast Guard—essential for maintaining Arctic presence in an era of intensifying global competition.
