Davie Defense awarded U.S. Coast Guard contract to build five Arctic Security Cutters

American shipbuilder, Davie Defense, has been awarded a contract from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) to build five Arctic Security Cutters (ASCs), a new class of polar icebreaker critical to increasing U.S. presence in the Arctic.

As part of the program of up to 11 total ASCs, authorized by the Presidential Memorandum “Construction of Arctic Security Cutters,” two ASCs will be constructed in Finland at Davie Defense's sister facility, Helsinki Shipyard. Building in Finland ensures the shipbuilder can meet the USCG’s accelerated schedule to deliver the first ASC in 2028. American shipbuilders will work and learn alongside Helsinki's world-leading icebreaker builders. This will support the efficient all-American construction of three ASCs at Davie's facilities in Galveston and Port Arthur, Texas.

“We're deeply honored by this vote of confidence. We can't wait to get started on delivering mission-ready cutters to our valued U.S. Coast Guard partner,” says Kai Skvarla, chief executive officer, Davie Defense. “By anchoring construction in Texas, while drawing on Helsinki Shipyard's proven icebreaker expertise, we can deliver the ASCs to meet the Coast Guard's operational needs in the world's harshest environments.”

Davie's ASC design is based on a proven platform with seven previous variants delivered from Helsinki Shipyard. These variants are all in service today.

Davie Defense is the U.S. arm of INOCEA, a UK-owned maritime group with operations in Finland, Canada and the U.S. In 2025, INOCEA acquired Gulf Copper & Manufacturing's shipbuilding assets in Galveston and Port Arthur.

“This contract underscores our role as a trusted Arctic shipbuilding partner to the U.S. Coast Guard,” says James Davies, co-founder, INOCEA Group. “As strategic competition in the Arctic accelerates, we are fully committed to delivering world-class icebreakers capable of enabling sustained operations.”

“Our focus is on disciplined execution for the U.S. Coast Guard – combining proven designs with Helsinki Shipyard's world-leading expertise helping re-establish world-class shipbuilding capability in Texas, where we will deliver cutters on-time and on-budget,” says Alex Vicefield, co-founder, INOCEA Group.