Bollinger-led team picked to build six Arctic Security Cutters

The Bollinger-led team will leverage the mature and production-ready Multi-Purpose Icebreaker (MPI) design, developed by Seaspan and Aker Arctic [Image: Seaspam Shipyards\

Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed at the White House yesterday by President Trump and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, a team led by Bollinger Shipyards, in partnership with Rauma Marine Constructions, Seaspan Shipyards, and Aker Arctic Technology Inc., has been selected for the design and construction of six Arctic Security Cutters (ASC).

According to a White House fact sheet:

• The Memorandum invokes the President’s authority under 14 U.S.C. 1151(b) and 10 U.S.C. 8679(b) to permit foreign construction as a national security necessity.
• It directs the U.S. Coast Guard to submit a plan for phasing ASC construction in a manner that promotes the on-shoring of expertise to build follow-on ASCs domestically.
• In line with this decision, the President has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Finland to construct these four ASCs in shipyards located in Finland, followed by the leveraging of Finnish expertise to construct up to seven new ASCs in shipyards located in the United States.

The Bollinger-led team will leverage the mature and production-ready Multi-Purpose Icebreaker (MPI) design, developed by Seaspan and Aker Arctic for allied missions in extreme polar environments.

“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.”

Bollinger and its partners will be responsible for the construction of six state-of-the-art icebreakers. The first three vessels will be built simultaneously by Rauma in Finland and Bollinger in the United States, with production of the remaining three vessels to be in the United States. Delivery of the first three vessels is expected within 36 months of the contract award.

“The United States Coast Guard is placing its trust in Rauma Marine Constructions’ proven shipbuilding capability,” said Mika Nieminen, CEO of Rauma Marine Constructions. “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.”

“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 , 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.”

The Seaspan-Aker MPI design has already undergone significant engineering, testing, and integration work, enabling the team to proceed immediately to production. The partnership structure ensures speed to delivery, cost certainty, and seamless interoperability with the Canadian Coast Guard.

“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
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 the 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.

Under the ICE Pact trilateral framework between the United States, Canada, and Finland, this program represents a model for allied industrial collaboration. The parallel construction of the first three vessels at Rauma and Bollinger will rapidly accelerate early delivery while ensuring a stable foundation for full domestic production in the United States. Bollinger will assume full program leadership for U.S.-based construction and long-term sustainment.

With the ability to break four feet of ice, travel 12,000 nautical miles, and operate for over 60 days, the ASC is purpose-built to support the evolving mission needs of the U.S. Coast Guard in the harshest conditions. Additionally, its shared multi-mission design with the Canadian Coast Guard fleet will create the largest class of icebreaking capability in the world, optimizing interoperability and maintenance support. The ASC fleet will enable year-round access to polar regions for national defense, maritime sovereignty, scientific research, and search and rescue operations. With this new class of vessels, the United States takes a major step forward in asserting leadership in the Arctic.

In addition to the Bollinger-led team, Canada’s Davie Shipyards will also contribute to the ASC program by building a separate class of vessels of its fourth-generation Multi-Purpose Polar Support Ship (MPPS) design.