Construction has begun on the first Arctic security cutter (ASC) for the US Coast Guard (USCG).
The vessel is the first in a series of five ASC’s to be built by Davie Defense in collaboration with its sister shipyards Sata Shipbuilding and Helsinki Shipyard. The steel-cutting ceremony was held in Pori on June 23.
Authorized under the US Presidential Memorandum, “Construction of Arctic Security Cutters,” Davie Defense will deliver five ASCs. The first two will be built at Helsinki Shipyard, supported by Sata Shipbuilding. Three more ASCs will be constructed at affiliate shipbuilder Gulf Copper in Texas, which on June 1 broke ground on a major modernization.
American shipbuilders will work and learn alongside Helsinki’s world-leading icebreaker builders. This will support the efficient construction of three ASCs in Texas. The delivery of the first vessel is scheduled for 2028.
In line with the trilateral Icebreaker Collaboration (ICE Pact), the ASC program demonstrates how allied nations can work together to strengthen Arctic security, expand domestic industrial capacity, and accelerate the delivery of strategic assets, according to the shipbuilders.
“This is a historic milestone for Sata Shipbuilding and our Group. We are proud to begin work on the Arctic Security Cutter for the United States and to lay the foundation for a program of great significance to both Finland and America,” Niko Suomela , Managing Director of Sata Shipbuilding, said.
“We are proud to contribute our expertise to this transatlantic industrial partnership. Finnish excellence in specialized shipbuilding is recognized around the world because it is built on a proven record of delivery. Helsinki Shipyard and Sata Shipbuilding have the experience, expertise and commitment to deliver these vessels on time, on quality and on budget,” Mika Heiskanen , CEO of Davie Shipyards Finland, stated.
“Plans don’t defend nations, strategic assets like the ASC do. Today, we are turning commitment into action. The Arctic Security Cutter program will strengthen Western maritime security, rebuild critical U.S. strategic capability with Finnish expertise, and reinforces our position as a trusted global partner in delivering complex, ice-capable vessels,” James Davies , Co-founder Inocea Group, commented.
The ASC is a new class of polar icebreakers designed to conduct US Coast Guard missions in the world’s most challenging maritime environments. The ASC will support the coast guard in terms of national security, maritime safety, and polar access.
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