“The Finest in the World”: Why the U.S. Is Buying Icebreakers From Finland

The U.S. is buying Finnish-designed icebreakers to strengthen its Arctic presence amid rising global competition.

America’s Arctic Ambitions Are Growing

As President Donald Trump continues to emphasize the strategic importance of the Arctic including his controversial remarks about Greenland the United States is taking concrete steps to strengthen its presence in the region. One of the most significant moves is Washington’s decision to expand its icebreaker fleet, turning to Finland, the world’s leading expert in icebreaker design and construction.

Icebreakers are specialized vessels capable of navigating seas locked in thick, solid ice a critical capability as Arctic routes open up and geopolitical competition intensifies.

Inside Finland’s Icebreaker Expertise

At Aker Arctic Technology’s ice laboratory in Helsinki, temperatures drop below freezing as scale models of icebreakers glide through a 70-meter testing tank. These models carve clean channels through frozen water, simulating the harsh Arctic conditions the real vessels will face.

Ice performance engineer Riikka Matala explains that durability is essential. “It’s crucial that the vessel has enough structural strength and engine power,” she says.

According to Aker Arctic CEO Mika Hovilainen, the secret lies in the hull design. “Icebreakers don’t cut or slice ice,” he explains. “They break it by bending it downward.”

Why Finland Leads the World

Finland’s dominance in icebreaker technology is unmatched. Finnish companies have designed around 80% of the world’s active icebreakers, and 60% were built in Finnish shipyards.

This leadership stems from necessity. Maunu Visuri, CEO of state-owned icebreaker operator Arctia, notes that Finland is the only country where every harbor can freeze during winter.

“About 97% of our goods arrive by sea,” Visuri says. “Icebreakers are not optional they are essential. We often say Finland is an island.”

Trump’s Decision to Buy Finnish Icebreakers

In October, President Trump announced that the U.S. would order four icebreakers directly from Finland for the U.S. Coast Guard. An additional seven Arctic Security Cutters will be built in the United States using Finnish designs and expertise.

“We’re buying the finest icebreakers in the world,” Trump said. “Finland is known for making them.”

While U.S. law typically requires Coast Guard and naval ships to be domestically built, Trump waived the rule, citing national security concerns linked to Russia and China’s growing Arctic activity.

The Arctic’s Rising Strategic Value

Climate change is making Arctic waters increasingly navigable, opening potential shipping routes between Asia and Europe. These routes could pass above Russia or through waters north of Alaska, Canada, and Greenland but only with icebreakers leading the way.

Melting ice also makes Arctic oil and gas reserves more accessible.

“There’s simply a lot more traffic in the region now,” says Peter Rybski, a retired U.S. Navy officer and Arctic expert based in Helsinki. He points to Russia’s extensive energy operations and emerging trans-shipment routes as key drivers of concern.

Catching Up to Russia and China

The U.S. icebreaker fleet currently consists of just three operational vessels. Russia, by comparison, operates around 40 icebreakers, including eight nuclear-powered ships. China has about five polar-capable vessels, which it often labels as research ships.

Rybski warns that China has been sending these ships into Arctic waters near Alaska and eastern Russia, sometimes entering areas the U.S. considers its exclusive economic zone.

“With limited means to respond, this becomes a problem,” he says.

Icebreakers as Tools of Power Projection

Beyond practical use, icebreakers play a symbolic and strategic role. According to Lin Mortensgaard of the Danish Institute of International Studies, they signal Arctic authority.

“You can’t sail an aircraft carrier into the central Arctic Ocean,” she explains. “Icebreakers are the only vessels that show you are truly an Arctic state.”

Finnish Shipyards Gear Up for the Future

Finnish shipbuilders are already delivering results. Rauma Marine Constructions will build two icebreakers for the U.S. Coast Guard, with the first scheduled for delivery in 2028. Additional ships will be constructed in Louisiana using Finnish designs developed alongside Canadian partner Seaspan.

Helsinki Shipyard, where nearly half of the world’s icebreakers have been built, is also positioning itself for future U.S. contracts.

“The geopolitical situation has changed,” says managing director Kim Salmi. “Russia is expanding its fleet, China is expanding its fleet, and Western allies are responding.”

Why Finland Remains the Icebreaker Superpower

Thanks to streamlined production methods and more than a century of experience, Finnish shipyards can build complex icebreakers in as little as two and a half years.

“We’ve practiced this for over 100 years,” says Arctia’s Visuri. “Designers, builders, and operators work in a continuous cycle. That’s why Finland is the superpower of icebreakers.”