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DJT to sign deal w/ Finland to build 11 new icebreaking ships, creating thousands of jobs
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:12 pm
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:12 pm
President Donald Trump agreed to a deal with Finland to commission the construction of four icebreaking ships, and the United States will build seven more domestically.
The construction of the seven icebreaking ships, key to Arctic operations with their ability to cut through formidable ice sheets, is expected to create thousands of jobs.
LINK
Trump will sign the deal with Finnish President Alexander Stubb at the White House on Thursday. The deal is expected to strengthen the U.S. presence in the Arctic region as Russia and China’s influence grows there
The U.S. administration has held negotiations directly with companies. It is great that Finnish expertise is trusted. The cooperation benefits Finland and the United States. The agreement would not have been possible without President Trump,” he added..
The construction of the seven icebreaking ships, key to Arctic operations with their ability to cut through formidable ice sheets, is expected to create thousands of jobs.
LINK
Trump will sign the deal with Finnish President Alexander Stubb at the White House on Thursday. The deal is expected to strengthen the U.S. presence in the Arctic region as Russia and China’s influence grows there
The U.S. administration has held negotiations directly with companies. It is great that Finnish expertise is trusted. The cooperation benefits Finland and the United States. The agreement would not have been possible without President Trump,” he added..
This post was edited on 10/9/25 at 2:13 pm
6
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:16 pm to conservativewifeymom
I wonder if Bollinger is going to be in the running for at least one of these contracts? I hope so.
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:24 pm to GumboPot
quote:
I wonder if Bollinger is going to be in the running for at least one of these contracts? I hope so.
Bollinger is owned by Gary Chouest.
But North American has built several ice breakers in Larose.
Looks like Bollinger is in the mix for this deal at the Houma yard.
From Fox News:
quote:
Three of the ships will be built by Davie in Galveston, Texas, and four will be built by Bollinger Shipyards in Houma, Louisiana, the official said.
The first ship is expected to be delivered by 2028, the official said.
Trump has consistently called for the United States to acquire as many as 40 new icebreakers to enhance U.S. national security in the Arctic and counter the growing influence of China and Russia.
Fox News
This post was edited on 10/9/25 at 2:25 pm
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:26 pm to conservativewifeymom
But, but, but I thought the ice was melting.
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:27 pm to conservativewifeymom
quote:
build 11 new icebreaking ships
gotta be able to get the ships back & forth year-round to our 52nd state, greenland.
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:30 pm to CAD703X
quote:
gotta be able to get the ships back & forth year-round to our 52nd state, greenland.
Then why are we partnering with Finland?
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:32 pm to Tarps99
Good news.
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:33 pm to WeeWee
quote:because they are the one with the resources to build icebreakers for us?
Then why are we partnering with Finland?
eta from what i've seen of greenland, those residents can barely dress themselves
much less build ships.This post was edited on 10/9/25 at 2:34 pm
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:35 pm to CAD703X
quote:
because they are the one with the resources to build icebreakers for us?
You do realize that the USA builds icebreakers in south Louisiana don’t you? Why aren’t we building all 11 in the USA?
This post was edited on 10/9/25 at 2:37 pm
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:36 pm to WeeWee
quote:apparently not fast enough if trump had to go all the way to finland.
You do realize that the USA builds icebreakers in south Louisiana don’t you?
Posted on 10/9/25 at 2:47 pm to Tarps99
quote:
Bollinger is owned by Gary Chouest.
But North American has built several ice breakers in Larose.
Current icebreakers are built by Bollinger in Pascagoula, formerly VT Halter marine which Bollinger bought.
Posted on 10/9/25 at 3:05 pm to conservativewifeymom
I thought we wanted more ice
wtf
I can’t keep up
wtf
I can’t keep up
Posted on 10/9/25 at 3:38 pm to WeeWee
quote:
You do realize that the USA builds icebreakers in south Louisiana don’t you? Why aren’t we building all 11 in the USA?
You are a sourpuss. Maybe this helps a great NATO ally.
Posted on 10/9/25 at 3:47 pm to CAD703X
quote:
apparently not fast enough if trump had to go all the way to finland.
Yeah, alot of misinformation in this thread. That is what Grok is great for to cut through all the BS.
Current US Icebreaker FleetAs of October 2025, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) operates three active polar icebreakers, which is a significant increase from the pre-2025 fleet of two operational vessels but remains far below the capabilities of competitors like Russia (over 40 icebreakers). These include:
USCGC Polar Star: A heavy icebreaker (commissioned 1976), capable of breaking up to 6 feet of ice at 3 knots; it remains the US's only operational heavy polar icebreaker.
USCGC Healy: A medium icebreaker (commissioned 1999), used primarily for Arctic research and operations.
USCGC Storis: A new medium polar icebreaker, commissioned on August 10, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska—the first new US icebreaker added to the fleet in 25 years. It completed its inaugural Arctic patrol in early October 2025, enhancing immediate operational capacity for national security and scientific missions.
The former heavy icebreaker USCGC Polar Sea (commissioned 1978) has been inactive since 2010 due to engine failures and is not part of the active fleet.
US Ability to Build IcebreakersThe US has limited domestic shipbuilding capacity for icebreakers, stemming from a 50-year hiatus in constructing such specialized vessels (the last was Healy in 1999). This gap has led to significant challenges, including design delays, cost overruns (up to 60% above estimates), and reliance on foreign expertise to accelerate fleet expansion.
Key issues include:
Lack of specialized experience: US shipyards like Bollinger Shipyards (which acquired VT Halter Marine in 2022) are adapting commercial and military designs but face hurdles in polar-specific engineering, such as nuclear or advanced diesel-electric propulsion.
Program delays: The Polar Security Cutter (PSC) program for heavy icebreakers has seen repeated setbacks from COVID-19 impacts, design revisions (based on the unbuilt German Polarstern II), and supply chain issues; the lead ship's design is only ~67% complete after five years.
Cost pressures: Individual ships have ballooned in price (e.g., first PSC at ~$1.7 billion), prompting GAO scrutiny and calls for better affordability analysis.
To address these, the US is pursuing a hybrid approach: limited domestic construction for heavy icebreakers while outsourcing medium ones internationally to "bridge critical capability gaps" and invest in long-term domestic capacity
Recent Construction and Acquisition Numbers
Heavy Polar Icebreakers (PSC Program):
Managed jointly by USCG and US Navy, built domestically by Bollinger Shipyards in Pascagoula, MS.Under construction: 1 (USCGC Polar Sentinel, steel cutting began August 2023; planned launch 2027, but delayed to potential commissioning in 2028–2030).
Planned: 2 more (Polar Bear and Polar Glacier; contracts awarded, total program cost ~$5.1 billion for three ships).
A 2023 USCG fleet mix analysis recommends 4–5 heavy icebreakers total for sustained polar operations.
Medium Polar Icebreakers (Arctic Security Cutters - ASC Program):
Smaller vessels for Arctic patrols; initial plans called for 3 domestically, but expanded via international partnerships.In service: 2 (Healy and Storis).
Under construction/planned: 11 new ASCs authorized in October 2025 under President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," costing ~$6.1 billion; these will be built in Finland as a temporary foreign measure to rapidly expand the fleet while boosting US shipyards. Delivery timeline: Aiming for operational status by late 2020s to early 2030s.
Overall, the US aims for a total polar icebreaker fleet of 8–9 vessels (mix of heavy and medium) to meet operational needs, far short of Trump's campaign promise of 40 but aligned with strategic assessments. This expansion is supported by ~$9 billion in recent funding for Coast Guard cutters, including icebreakers. International alliances like the "ICE Pact" (with Finland, Canada, and others) are key to overcoming domestic bottlenecks and ensuring Arctic presence.
This post was edited on 10/9/25 at 3:55 pm
Posted on 10/9/25 at 3:48 pm to John Barron
NAFO Grok Comrade!
Posted on 10/9/25 at 4:07 pm to WeeWee
quote:
the USA builds icebreakers in south Louisiana
What do Cajun swamp baws know about ice breakers.
Posted on 10/9/25 at 4:31 pm to conservativewifeymom
quote:
The deal is expected to strengthen the U.S. presence in the Arctic region as Russia and China’s influence grows there
I wish I could find my posts on here about the real battles being online, the arctic, and space.
Posted on 10/9/25 at 4:33 pm to TrueTiger
quote:
What do Cajun swamp baws know about ice breakers.
What LSU marine engineers tell them.
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