Four leading shipyards—Bollinger Shipyards (U.S.), Rauma Shipyards (Finland), Seaspan Shipyards (Canada), and Aker Arctic (Finland)—have formed a strategic partnership to provide the U.S. Coast Guard with Arctic Security Cutters (ASCs). This collaboration aims to deliver the vessels quickly and with minimal risk, while also strengthening the U.S. shipbuilding industry through knowledge and technology transfer. The goal is to enhance America’s shipbuilding capacity and equip American workers with the skills needed for future strategic competition.
World-Class Icebreaker Expertise
This partnership brings together the world’s top icebreaker shipbuilding companies. Bollinger, the largest private U.S. shipbuilder, is currently constructing the first heavy icebreaker in the U.S. in 50 years and has a long history of delivering vessels to the U.S. Coast Guard. Rauma is a renowned Finnish shipyard specializing in ice-class vessels. Seaspan, a Canadian subsidiary of a U.S. company, is a leading icebreaker designer and builder with the largest order book for ice-capable vessels globally. Aker Arctic is a respected authority in icebreaking technology and design, responsible for most current icebreaker designs.
Fastest Path to Delivery and “America First”
Leveraging the trilateral ICE Pact framework between the U.S., Canada, and Finland, this partnership aims to rapidly expand the U.S. icebreaking fleet, fulfilling President Trump’s call for modernization. The first vessel is projected for delivery within 36 months of the contract award. This initiative prioritizes “America First” by anchoring the ASC program in American shipbuilding and quickly transitioning to full U.S. production. Ben Bordelon, President and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards, emphasized the focus on speed, quality, and certainty, stating that their partnership’s mature design avoids the delays and risks associated with speculative designs. He highlighted Bollinger’s extensive workforce and facilities as key to rapid delivery.
Finnish Industrial Strength for Arctic Operations
Mika Nieminen, President and CEO of Rauma Shipyards, expressed enthusiasm for applying their expertise to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Arctic mission. He stated that Rauma is ready to begin construction immediately, using a proven design and their extensive experience in building complex vessels for harsh winter conditions. Rauma also offers additional support like crew training, bridge simulator programs, and ice trials to ensure successful commissioning and enhance operational capabilities.
Purpose-Built Design for Mission-Ready Capability
The Seaspan-Aker Multi-Purpose Icebreaker (MPI) design is presented as the optimal choice, exceeding all ASC requirements and supporting all eleven statutory missions of the U.S. Coast Guard. This design can break four feet of ice, travel 12,000 nautical miles, and operate for over 60 days, making it ideal for the Coast Guard’s evolving needs in extreme conditions. Its shared multi-mission design with the Canadian Coast Guard fleet will create the world’s largest class of icebreaking capability, optimizing interoperability and maintenance. John McCarthy, CEO of Seaspan Shipyards, emphasized the collaboration’s goal to provide a low-risk, mission-ready solution. Mika Hovilainen, CEO of Aker Arctic Technology Inc., highlighted that the offered vessel, developed for the Canadian Coast Guard, includes specialized capabilities essential for the Coast Guard’s missions. The partners collectively believe that other proposed designs would require significant investment and time, leading to potential delays and increased costs.
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Source: Seaspan
