U.S. expands Arctic access as Bollinger awarded contract to build four icebreakers

Bollinger Shipyards has signed a contract with the U.S. Coast Guard to construct four Arctic Security Cutters (ASCs), marking a major step in expanding America’s operational capability in polar environments. The new medium polar icebreakers will be built at Bollinger’s Houma, Louisiana shipyard, supported by workforce and fabrication capacity across multiple Gulf Coast facilities.

The ASC class will be based on the Multi-Purpose Icebreaker design developed by Seaspan Shipyards of Canada with Aker Arctic Technology of Finland. The cutters are designed for high-endurance Arctic missions, including icebreaking, sovereignty enforcement, maritime security, and year-round operations in remote conditions.

Bollinger CEO Ben Bordelon said the award reinforces the company’s longstanding role in Coast Guard fleet modernization. “The Arctic Security Cutter is one of the most consequential shipbuilding programs in U.S. Coast Guard history … our mission is to deliver these cutters on schedule and mission ready on day one,” he said.

The award follows a trilateral collaboration among the U.S., Canada and Finland to accelerate icebreaking capability. The ASC program is planned to ultimately field up to 11 vessels, complementing the ongoing Polar Security Cutter effort and creating a layered U.S. Arctic fleet.