Davie Defense has finalized a $3.5 billion contract to build five Arctic Security Cutters for the U.S. Coast Guard, advancing the country’s Arctic icebreaking fleet expansion.
Under the agreement, two vessels will be constructed at Helsinki Shipyard in Finland, while three will be built at Davie Defense’s Gulf Copper facilities in Galveston and Port Arthur, Texas.
The first vessels are expected to be built in Finland before production shifts to Texas. The first delivery is scheduled for 2028.
The contract is part of the U.S. Coast Guard’s wider 11-ship Arctic Security Cutter program, which aims to rebuild U.S. icebreaking capability amid growing geopolitical competition in the Arctic.
Philip Burns-O’Brien, Chief Executive Officer of Davie Defense, said the agreement marked a major milestone for the Arctic Security Cutter program and reinforced the company’s role in supporting U.S. Arctic readiness and maritime security.
The contract runs through February 2035 and maintains the previously announced delivery schedule for all five vessels.
The Arctic Security Cutter program has become a key element of the U.S. push to expand polar capabilities as Russia and China increase their Arctic presence.
Davie Defense is the U.S. arm of Inocea, a UK-owned maritime group with operations in Finland, Canada and the United States. The company acquired Gulf Copper’s Texas shipbuilding assets in 2025 as part of a strategy to establish an icebreaker construction hub on the U.S. Gulf Coast.
According to the company, the program will support the transfer of Arctic shipbuilding expertise to the United States while contributing to workforce development and industrial expansion in Texas.
A groundbreaking ceremony linked to the redevelopment of the Gulf Copper facilities is scheduled for 1 June 2026 and is expected to include up to $1 billion in additional investment in U.S. shipbuilding infrastructure.
The U.S. Coast Guard currently operates a limited icebreaking fleet that mainly includes the aging heavy icebreaker Polar Star, medium icebreaker Healy and recently commissioned Storis. Previous Coast Guard assessments stated that at least nine Arctic Security Cutters are needed to maintain year-round Arctic operations.
The Arctic Security Cutter program emerged from the ICE Pact framework signed by the United States, Canada, and Finland in 2024. The framework was designed to accelerate Western icebreaker production in response to expanding Arctic activities by Russia and China.
Davie Defense’s vessels represent one of two main designs under the 11-ship program. The company’s cutter design is based on a proven Helsinki Shipyard platform with seven previous variants already in service globally.
Separate Arctic Security Cutter contracts awarded to Bollinger Shipyards and Finland’s Rauma Marine Constructions are based on Canada’s Multi-Purpose Icebreaker design developed with Aker Arctic Technology.
The latest contract supports Texas’ role as an emerging U.S. icebreaker construction center while the Coast Guard continues to address delays and cost overruns linked to the separate Polar Security Cutter program being built by Bollinger Shipyards.
The Arctic Security Cutter fleet is expected to support missions including Arctic sovereignty patrols, maritime security, search and rescue, scientific operations, and protection of shipping routes and natural resources in the polar region.
