Posted on September 11, 2025
Davie Defense Inc., the newest entrant to the American shipbuilding sector, has revealed detailed plans for a $1 billion overhaul of the historic Gulf Copper shipyard in Galveston, Texas, aiming to create the “American Icebreaker Factory”—a purpose-built facility for constructing U.S. Coast Guard’s Arctic Security Cutters.
The project plans, announced Wednesday, marks what the company describes as the largest single increase in U.S. shipbuilding capacity in decades.
The American Icebreaker Factory is being developed in collaboration with Pearlson, a Florida-based leader in shipyard design and program management, whose portfolio includes work for BAE Systems, Austal USA, and Fincantieri Marinette. The initiative aligns with current U.S. administration priorities, including the executive order on Restoring American Maritime Dominance and the recently-reintroduced SHIPS for America Act.
“Recapitalization of the nation’s icebreaker fleet and closing the shipbuilding gap with China are now clear national priorities,” said Kai Skvarla, CEO of Davie Defense. “Our skills and capability are perfectly matched to address these imperatives and deliver the ships America needs to protect our vital interests in the polar regions.”
The facility will draw on the expertise of Finland’s Helsinki Shipyard—Davie Defense’s sister company and the builder of complex polar icebreakers in Finland over the past 25 years. Helsinki Shipyard, which Davie acquired in 2023, is currently constructing the Canadian Coast Guard’s Polar Max, which, upon delivery to Canada by 2030, is expected to rank among the world’s most advanced and powerful icebreakers.
“America doesn’t need more promises, it needs ships on the water fast,” added Skvarla. “Davie Defense will achieve this by working closely with our Finnish colleagues on a proven, fourth-generation Arctic Security Cutter design and by creating a purpose-built facility in Texas. We’ll recruit and train a Texas workforce, buy from American suppliers, and deliver mission-ready ships on time and on budget.”
Once contracts are secured, Davie Defense anticipates supporting over 2,000 direct jobs at Gulf Copper and more than 7,000 statewide, with a total projected economic impact exceeding $9 billion, according to an independent study by Impact Data Source.
Davie has viewed establishing local shipbuilding capacity as critical to securing the Arctic Security Cutter contract as it competes with a newly established consortium lead by Louisiana-based Bollinger Shipyards. Bollinger recently joined forces with Rauma Shipyards of Finland, Seaspan Shipyards of Canada, and Aker Arctic Technology Inc. to form a strategic partnership aimed at building the next generation icebreaker.
The urgency of the project is underscored by the current shortfall in U.S. polar icebreaking capacity compared to adversaries like Russia and China. The U.S. currently operates just three polar icebreakers, with the flagship Polar Security Cutter still undelivered. In contrast, Russia has a fleet of over 40 polar icebreakers, and China is rapidly expanding its own fleet.
In April, the U.S. Coast Guard issued a Request for Information for up to three Arctic Security Cutter medium-sized icebreakers, seeking shipyards capable of launching vessels within three years of contract award. The Coast Guard’s longer-term vision includes building eight to nine polar icebreakers, supporting the goal of acquiring at least 40 new icebreakers.
Davie Defense asserts it can deliver the first Arctic Security Cutter in 26 months, utilizing a fourth-generation design already proven in seven vessels in service and fully aligned with Coast Guard mission requirements.
“Our purpose is about investing to create new, efficient capacity in the U.S. and rapidly delivering the ships America needs. We have already built the ASC hull seven times over. This means we can build new American ASCs quickly and transfer Finland’s unrivalled icebreaker know-how to Texas. This will help the U.S. find a better way to field new naval capabilities via proven shipbuilding solutions based on enduring business models and flexible designs that evolve as the needs of the nation change,” Skvarla said.
A formal ceremony is scheduled in Texas this fall to mark the start of construction on the new shipbuilding facility.
The move is part of a broader strategic acquisition by Canadian-based Davie, which announced in June its intention to purchase shipbuilding assets in Galveston and Port Arthur from Gulf Copper & Manufacturing Corporation. The deal, which is expected to close shortly, is aimed at addressing the acute shortage of American Arctic-ready vessels and comes as both Russia and China have stepped up their activity in the region.
James Davies, President and CEO of Davie, commented: “We share a vision with Gulf Copper to make Texas a world-class hub for American icebreaker and complex ship production. Texas is ready to lead a new Golden Age of American shipbuilding—backed by our commitment to delivering ships on time, on budget, and in service of national security priorities.”
This expansion builds on the ICE Pact, a trilateral agreement between the United States, Canada, and Finland announced in July 2024 to enhance polar icebreaker production and strengthen security in contested polar regions. Davie’s Helsinki Shipyard has produced more than half the world’s icebreaker fleet; its Canadian operations have delivered over 720 specialized vessels since 1825.
The $1 billion investment is expected to create around 4,000 U.S. jobs—half directly at Gulf Copper, half throughout the supply chain. The acquisition supports President Trump’s April 9 executive order, “Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance,” which seeks to revive U.S. shipbuilding, bolster the workforce, and expand the nation’s presence in global shipping to compete more effectively with China.
Meanwhile, the Coast Guard’s existing Polar Security Cutter program has faced significant delays and cost overruns at Bollinger Shipyards, with the first heavy icebreaker now scheduled for delivery in 2030—more than six years behind the original target.
Davie Defense is part of Inocea, a privately-owned British marine industrial group with operations in the United States, Finland and Canada.
Support for the transaction has come from stakeholders in both Texas and Washington, D.C., as Davie accelerates efforts to close the deal and begin construction.
