Davie Defense to Build U.S. Icebreakers – Block Structures Supplied from Pori
Two new icebreakers for the United States Coast Guard will be built in Finland, with block structures supplied from Pori’s Mäntyluoto Shipyard. The agreement between Davie Defense and the U.S. Coast Guard strengthens Finland’s position as a world leader in Arctic shipbuilding and highlights the role of Pori in delivering advanced maritime solutions for global markets.
American shipbuilder Davie Defense, part of the same group as Helsinki Shipyard, has reached an agreement with the United States Coast Guard for the construction of five Arctic Security Cutter (ASC) vessels. The ships will strengthen and expand the United States’ operational capability in the Arctic region.
The first two vessels will be built at Helsinki Shipyard in Finland, while the remaining three will be constructed by Davie Defense in Texas. The first icebreaker will be delivered from Helsinki as early as 2028. Finland’s icebreaker expertise, specialized know-how and advanced technology will play a central role not only in the vessels built in Helsinki but also in those constructed in the United States.
Work will begin immediately. Construction will be led by Helsinki Shipyard in cooperation with Sata Shipbuilding at Mäntyluoto Shipyard in Pori. The Pori yard will supply block structures for the vessels.
“We greatly value the trust placed in us to build five icebreakers for the United States Coast Guard, two of which will be constructed in Finland. Helsinki Shipyard’s proven icebreaker solutions, combined with world-class design and shipbuilding expertise and supported by steel production in Pori, enable an exceptionally fast delivery schedule. The project is a strong testament to Finland’s and our company’s long-standing icebreaker and shipbuilding expertise,” says Mika Heiskanen, CEO of Davie’s Finnish shipyards.
Helsinki Shipyard is the world’s leading designer and builder of icebreakers. Approximately half of the world’s operational icebreakers have been built at the yard. Together with its Finnish partners, the shipyard has decades of experience in advanced design, model testing, precision manufacturing and specialized supply chains.
The vessels for the U.S. Coast Guard are based on Helsinki Shipyard’s proprietary MPPS-100 ship concept. The Arctic Security Cutters represent the fourth generation of this concept. The total employment impact of constructing the two vessels in Helsinki is estimated at approximately 5,000 person-years.
“This agreement marks the second major icebreaker order to Helsinki within a year and continues Finland’s long tradition as a supplier of world-class Arctic vessels. Our MPPS-100 concept builds on our unparalleled icebreaker design expertise and ensures that our know-how supports allied operations in the most demanding conditions worldwide,” says Kim Salmi, CEO of Helsinki Shipyard.
“Securing Davie’s icebreaker order for Helsinki is excellent news. The vessels to be built in Helsinki complement the previously agreed Letter of Intent between the United States and Finland for 11 icebreakers. Icebreaker construction is a core area of expertise for Helsinki Shipyard and the Finnish maritime industry, supported by an extensive network of equipment suppliers and subcontractors. We congratulate Davie on the agreement covering five icebreakers. The commercial utilization of Finnish technology and expertise will also play a significant role in the vessels to be built in Galveston, Texas,” says Minister of Economic Affairs Sakari Puisto.
Davie Defense is a U.S.-based shipbuilder and part of the Inocea Group, a privately owned British maritime industrial group and owner of Davie Group. In Finland, Davie is known as the owner of Helsinki Shipyard and Mäntyluoto Shipyard in Pori.
“This agreement highlights our position as a trusted Arctic shipbuilding partner to the U.S. Coast Guard. As strategic competition intensifies in the Arctic, we are committed to delivering world-class icebreakers capable of enabling sustained operations,” says James Davies, Founder of Inocea Group and CEO of Davie Group.
“We are focused on efficient execution for the U.S. Coast Guard. This project combines Helsinki Shipyard’s world-class icebreaker expertise and proven vessel solutions, helping to restore top-tier shipbuilding capability in Texas, where we will deliver the vessels on time and on budget,” says Alex Vicefield, Co-Founder of Inocea Group.
Further details regarding implementation and program milestones will be published jointly with the United States Coast Guard.
For more information:
Antti Leino
Director of Public Affairs, Group Davie
+358 40 705 8769
antti.leino@davie.group