US Coast Guard Awards Contracts to Build 6 Arctic Icebreakers

In July, Trump signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which has provided $8.6 billion for deploying the USCG’s icebreaker fleet in the Arctic.

The Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Polar Star breaks through Antarctic sea ice near the National Science Foundation's McMurdo Station on Jan. 15, 2017. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer David Mosley/Public Domain

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) awarded two contracts to construct up to six Arctic Security Cutter (ASC) icebreakers to increase regional mobility and assert dominance, the agency said in a Dec. 29 statement.

“The Arctic Security Cutters will defend U.S. sovereignty, secure critical shipping lanes, protect energy and mineral resources, and counter our adversaries’ presence in the Arctic region,” the USCG stated, noting that this was a “major step forward for America’s national security.”

“They will enable the Coast Guard to control, secure, and defend U.S. Alaskan borders, facilitate maritime commerce vital to economic prosperity and strategic mobility, and respond to crises and contingencies in the region,” the USCG stated.

The contracts were awarded to Louisiana-based Bollinger Shipyards Lockport and Rauma Marine Constructions Oy, based in Finland. The awards are the result of “historic investments” authorized by President Donald Trump under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), according to the USCG.

Under the contract, Bollinger Shipyards will construct up to four ASCs in the United States, with delivery of the first domestically built vessel scheduled for 2029.

The contract awarded to Rauma involves constructing up to two ASCs in Finland, with the first vessel scheduled for delivery earlier in 2028.

According to the USCG, the plan is to leverage the Finnish company’s icebreaker expertise while onshoring it into the United States over the long run.

“America has been an Arctic nation for over 150 years, and we’re finally acting like it under President Trump. Our adversaries continue to look to grow their presence in the Arctic, equipping the Coast Guard with Arctic Security Cutters will help reassert American maritime dominance there,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said.

“Revitalizing the U.S. Coast Guard’s icebreaking capabilities is crucial for our security and prosperity, and today’s announcement is an important step in that direction.”

The acquisition of the ASCs is part of the Force Design 2028 initiative introduced by Noem, which seeks to transform the USCG into a “more agile, capable and responsive fighting force,” according to the agency.

On Nov. 13, the United States joined Canada and Finland in signing the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort pact, which allows the three nations to share information, expertise, and resources to expand shipbuilding and counter the growing presence of China and Russia in the Arctic.

Late last year, the Chinese coast guard entered the Arctic for the first time to join Russian ships on patrol. In July, Chinese and Russian bomber aircraft carried out joint exercises off the coast of Alaska.

Under the Trump administration, the focus on building a fleet for the Arctic has intensified. In April, Trump signed an executive order to restore America’s maritime dominance, calling for the construction of commercial ships in the country and the rebuilding of America’s maritime manufacturing.

In July, Trump signed into law the OBBB, which has provided $8.6 billion for deploying the USCG’s icebreaker fleet in the Arctic. Out of the $8.6 billion, $4.3 billion was allocated to buy heavy icebreakers and $3.5 billion to purchase medium-sized ASCs.

On Oct. 8, Trump signed a memorandum—Construction of Arctic Security Cutters—noting that USCG’s fleet of Arctic-capable vessels and icebreakers remained “insufficient to meet current operational demands and presents a national security risk.”

“The United States faces an urgent and growing threat in the Arctic region posed by strategic competition, aggressive military posturing, and economic encroachment by foreign adversaries. These actions undermine United States sovereignty; jeopardize critical shipping lanes; and threaten energy, mineral, and national defense interests,” the order reads.

According to a July 15 report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the United States currently has three polar icebreakers, compared to Russia’s fleet of 40. China, which is not an Arctic nation, has four icebreakers.

“[China is] likely to continue outpacing the United States’ sluggish icebreaker construction effort. This constitutes a giant spotlight on the U.S. national security risk in the Arctic,” the report reads.