The U.S., Canada, and Finland have bold goals under the ICE Pact – but without real industrial
collaboration, they may fall short. As Arctic relevance grows, Denis Morais, CEO of SSI, calls for a
shipbuilding alliance to build lasting capability.
This article originally appeared in Hansa News Global
The core challenge for North America lies in acquiring the knowledge to scale up icebreaker production and build a sustainable domestic industry. Beyond simply meeting today’s vessel demand, both countries aim to foster long-term industrial resilience. Finland, a global leader in icebreaking technology, constructs over half of the world’s ice-capable vessels. Its deep expertise represents a strategic opportunity for broader collaboration.
The United States and Canada have made no secret of their intention to expand their icebreaking fleets, with plans to build the new tonnage domestically. The U.S. has signaled it could need up to 40 new icebreaking vessels, in addition to ice-class support ships for high-north operations. Canada is likewise seeking to replace and expand its fleet, with demand projected to exceed 20 new ice-capable vessels.
For both countries, the need is commercial as well as strategic. The gradual opening of the Northwest Passage is expected to boost merchant shipping in the coming decades, though navigation will continue to require icebreaking assistance. Strategically, all Arctic nations – regardless of current geopolitical tensions – recognize the polar region’s growing importance for defense and economic development.
While the U.S. and Canada possess domestic shipyard capacity, they must rely on international partners for specialized technical expertise – chiefly from Finland. The existing Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (ICE) agreement between the three countries shows a willingness to cooperate, but currently
amounts to little more than a memorandum of understanding. It lacks the clear commitments needed to design and build the ships in question
How to leverage Finnish expertise?
Although the contexts differ, an Arctic shipbuilding alliance could take cues from the AUKUS partnership model, which formalizes cooperation, capacity sharing, and industrial integration through committed milestones and stakeholder engagement. Adapting a similar model would encourage ICE Pact nations to shift from goodwill to concrete action.
The pressing question is how to leverage Finnish expertise to enable the U.S. and Canada to build not just ships, but sovereign capacity. Pursuing this goal in isolation – without shared knowledge, distributed supply chains, or collaborative strategy – risks falling short. None of the involved nations seek to merely
import finished vessels; each wants to develop a robust, selfreliant shipbuilding ecosystem.
Of course, challenges abound. In today’s climate of trade friction and geopolitical uncertainty, international cooperation can seem either optimistic or naïve. Yet over the next decade and beyond, such alliances may be essential for sustainable progress. Rising and falling trade barriers may slow development, but they could also incentivize long-term investment under firm commitments.
To succeed, the U.S. and Canada must bring together government and industry players – including designers, shipbuilders, and suppliers – into a unified strategy, as Finland has demonstrated. A truly effective Arctic Shipbuilding Alliance would coordinate shipyards and technical expertise to enable the efficient production of icebreaking vessels, while also building national capabilities in labor, technology, and supply chain resilience.
In the early stages, this might involve outsourcing design and construction activities. But over time, deeper cooperation would help all three countries gain the autonomy and capacity to meet future needs independently. This approach goes beyond political cycles. It fosters mutual growth, equitable benefit-sharing, and
strategic industrial development. By working together, these nations can build not just icebreakers, but a resilient and future-ready shipbuilding alliance.