Rewriting the Arctic Playbook
In a decisive move to expand America’s presence in the world’s most unforgiving environments, the White House has selected a Bollinger Shipyards–led team to design and construct six state-of-the-art Arctic Security Cutters (ASC) for the U.S. Coast Guard. The team includes Rauma Marine Constructions of Finland, Seaspan Shipyards of Canada, and Aker Arctic Technology Inc.—a partnership that bridges three nations committed to Arctic sovereignty and industrial collaboration.
Announced by U.S. President Donald J. Trump at a White House event, the project will employ the Multi-Purpose Icebreaker (MPI) design jointly developed by Seaspan and Aker Arctic—a proven, production-ready platform optimized for the harshest polar missions.
“Seaspan is extremely proud to work hand in hand with our American and Finnish partners, Bollinger, Aker and Rauma, to provide the U.S. Coast Guard with a state-of-the-art icebreaker design that is mission ready for extreme ice conditions and will fortify and strengthen Arctic security,” says John McCarthy, CEO Seaspan Shipyards. “This contract award demonstrates Seaspan’s world-class marine engineering and design capabilities on the global stage, and further expands North America’s capacity to design, build, and export Arctic-going vessels.”
“Aker Arctic is honored to bring our proven icebreaker expertise to this partnership. The ASC program is a milestone for allied Arctic collaboration, and we are proud to help deliver world-class capability for the U.S. Coast Guard,” said Mika Hovilainen, CEO of Aker Arctic.
Building the Fleet of the Future
The Bollinger-Rauma-Seaspan-Aker consortium will oversee the construction of six new Arctic Security Cutters. The first three vessels will be built simultaneously in Finland and the United States, marking an unprecedented pace of delivery. Once the initial phase concludes, full production will transition entirely to the U.S., with all six vessels delivered within 36 months of the contract award.
The ASC program responds directly to President Trump’s and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s call to rebuild U.S. polar capacity, strengthen domestic shipbuilding, and secure America’s long-term presence in the Arctic.
“The United States Coast Guard is placing its trust in Rauma Marine Constructions’ proven shipbuilding capability. With a hot production line and our ice-class experience, we are ready to deliver the Arctic Security Cutters on an accelerated timeline in close cooperation with our U.S. partner and allied industry. Together, we will provide the Coast Guard with the world’s most capable Arctic security vessels,” said Mika Nieminen, CEO of Rauma Marine Constructions.
A Design Built on Experience
The Seaspan-Aker MPI design comes ready for production, having already undergone extensive engineering and testing. This maturity allows the team to move immediately into the build phase, ensuring both speed and cost certainty. Just as crucially, the ASC will share its core multi-mission design with the Canadian Coast Guard’s next-generation fleet—creating the largest and most interoperable class of icebreaking capability in the world.
Through this collaboration, both nations gain a shared logistical backbone for maintenance and mission readiness across the Arctic theatre.
“Thanks to President Trump, this historic Memorandum of Understanding is a great win for our state that further cements Southeast Louisiana as a leader in America’s domestic shipbuilding industry,” said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA). “I am proud to represent the only shipbuilder in the United States in Bollinger Shipyards that has the capability, capacity and expertise to begin construction on these critical vessels on day one that will project American power and dominance in the Arctic.”
A New Model for Allied Industry
The ASC initiative is being advanced under the ICE Pact trilateral framework between the United States, Canada, and Finland—a structure that fosters industrial cooperation while maximizing efficiency and learning across borders. The decision to parallel-build the first three ships in Rauma and Bollinger yards will accelerate early delivery, while establishing the production rhythm needed for sustained U.S. construction and long-term sustainment.
Bollinger will lead the U.S.-based program, managing domestic production and lifecycle support for the fleet.
“Today’s award is a testament to President Trump’s leadership and his historic investment in America’s maritime industrial base,” said Ben Bordelon, President and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards. “We appreciate the trust President Trump has placed in the skilled men and women of Bollinger Shipyards and stand ready to begin construction on these critical vessels on day one. The Arctic Security Cutter will enable the United States to rapidly project American power, enforce our sovereignty, and reassert American dominance in the Arctic.”
Power and Purpose in the Polar North
Designed to break through four feet of ice, travel up to 12,000 nautical miles, and remain on station for over 60 days, each Arctic Security Cutter will enable the U.S. Coast Guard to perform critical missions in some of the most demanding conditions on Earth. The fleet will support national defense, scientific research, sovereignty patrols, and search-and-rescue operations—ensuring consistent, year-round access to the polar regions.
This new class of vessels signifies a decisive leap forward in America’s ability to project capability and presence in the Arctic. Together with its allies, the United States is not just preparing for the challenges of the polar frontier—it is shaping the future of Arctic operations.
Meanwhile, Canada’s Davie Shipyards will also contribute to allied polar strength by building a separate class of ships based on its fourth-generation Multi-Purpose Polar Support Ship (MPPS) design, further reinforcing continental leadership in icebreaking and maritime innovation.
