A consortium of Finnish and Canadian companies is planning to build two Arctic Security Cutter (ASC) icebreakers for the U.S. Coast Guard and deliver them by the end of 2028, well ahead of the larger icebreakers currently being built in the U.S.

Per reports, Finland’s Rauma Marine Construction (RMC) is leading the proposal and has teamed up with Canadian shipbuilder Seaspan. RMC would build the ships using Seaspan’s Multi-Purpose Icebreaker (MPI) design under a licensing agreement. Finnish engineering firm Aker Arctic, which originally worked on the MPI design, would also be involved in the project.

RMC’s CEO Mika Nieminen recently returned from the U.S. after high-level talks regarding the project. His visit came shortly before the U.S. Congress passed a massive budget bill that included close to $9 billion for expanding the Coast Guard’s icebreaker fleet.

The talks focused on technical details, RMC’s ability to carry out the construction, and contract discussions. According to sources, U.S. Coast Guard representatives played a major role in the negotiations. Industry expert Peter Rybski also reported that officials from Seaspan and Aker Arctic confirmed their involvement in the project.

The plan is to base the Arctic Security Cutter on Seaspan’s MPI design, which meets the requirements recently outlined by the U.S. Coast Guard in its Request for Information. RMC is said to have a solid record of building similar ships in under 36 months. If approved, the two new vessels could enter service by the end of 2028.

The potential deal also includes a plan to eventually shift construction of additional ships to U.S. shipyards. This would involve transferring the necessary technology and providing training to American workers.

Another Canadian shipbuilder, Davie, is also trying to secure icebreaker construction work from the U.S., weeks after acquiring shipyard facilities in Texas, Davie purchased a Finnish steelmaker, Enersense Offshore Oy, to support its existing investment in Helsinki Shipyards. This gives Davie control of a steel production facility that could help speed up shipbuilding and meet the Coast Guard’s 36-month timeline for the Arctic Security Cutter.

In the U.S., Bollinger Shipyards has joined hands with Edison Chouest Offshore to form the United Shipbuilding Alliance, which is also proposing to build more icebreakers for the Coast Guard.

Meanwhile, progress on the domestic Polar Security Cutter (PSC) program remains slow. Despite beginning nearly a decade ago, the first vessel being built by Bollinger Shipyards in Mississippi is now expected to be completed no earlier than 2030. The second ship may not be ready before 2033.

Reference: chuckhillscgblog

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