The US Coast Guard has finalised two contracts for the construction and delivery of six Arctic security cutters (ASCs), a brand-new class of medium polar icebreakers.
The contracts are awarded to Bollinger Shipyards of Lockport, Louisiana for four ASCs, valued at approximately US$2.2 billion, and Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) of Finland for two ASCs, valued at approximately US$1.1 billion.
The first vessel under this contract is scheduled to be delivered in 2028, and all six vessels are scheduled to be delivered by 2031.
The coast guard’s contracts with Bollinger Shipyards and RMC were initially awarded in December 2025, and were the first two of three ASC contracts awarded. These initial contract awards allowed shipbuilders to begin planning while all final details were negotiated.
The US Department of Homeland Security said the ASCs will enable the US Coast Guard to control, secure, and defend US Alaskan borders, facilitate maritime commerce vital to economic prosperity and strategic mobility, and respond to crises and contingencies in the region.
The ASCs will serve as medium-displacement vessels to complement the US Coast Guard's polar security cutters (PSCs). The ASCs will be used primarily for Arctic operations while the heavier PSCs will be capable of both Arctic and Antarctic operations.