The US Coast Guard and Finnish authorities have agreed to build 11 icebreakers for the Arctic, four of which will be built in Finland’s shipyards, and the rest in the US using Finnish expertise.
Currently, the US Coast Guard's polar fleet has only two operational icebreakers. To ensure year-round national security in the Arctic, the US requires at least nine icebreakers.
According to the White House, the total cost of the 11 Arctic vessels will be approximately $6.1 billion. The first of these is expected to be delivered to the US Coast Guard in 2028.
Finland has advanced experience in icebreaker construction among NATO countries.
Alex Shishlo, Editor in Chief of the European Bureau, Rough&Polished
