Bollinger Shipyards and partners win icebreaker deal

President Trump’s strategy to rebuild US polar capacity and secure a long-term presence in the Arctic has resulted in a six-ship icebreaker deal at Louisiana-headquartered Bollinger Shipyards. The US shipbuilder, with 13 yards on the US Gulf coast, has worked with Finland’s Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) and Aker Arctic Technology, and Canada’s Seaspan Shipyards in the design of six Arctic Security Cutters (ASC).

Construction of the first three vessels will now take place simultaneously at Rauma in Finland and a Bollinger shipyard. Delivery of the first three vessels is expected within 36 months of the contract award. 

The ASCs will be built to a Seaspan-Aker design that has already been thoroughly tested and therefore construction of the first vessels can start immediately. The tie-up with foreign partners will facilitate speed to delivery, cost certainty, and interoperability with the Canadian Coast Guard, Bollinger said in a statement. 

Mika Nieminen, CEO of the Rauma facility, said: “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 US partner and allied industry. Together, we will provide the Coast Guard with the world’s most capable Arctic security vessels.”

The Louisiana Republican House Majority Leader, Steve Scalise, commented: “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. 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.”