US and Finland Agree on Icebreaker Shipbuilding Deal
US President Donald Trump signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Finland to build four Arctic Security Cutters (ASCs) in Finnish shipyards.
The agreement also aims to build up to seven additional ASCs in US shipyards, as confirmed by the White House on 9 October.
The authorisation to build the ASCs abroad is an effort to “address urgent national security needs in the Arctic region”
The MOU directs the US Coast Guard (USCG) to submit a plan for phasing ASC construction to promote domestic expertise.
The US currently has only three Arctic-capable icebreakers, including the Healy, which operates in the Gulf of Alaska.
Author's note: US and Finland collaborate on icebreaker production.