The United States Turns to Finland for Advanced Icebreaker Technology

Mon Jan 19 2026 05:47:54 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Amid growing concerns over Arctic navigation and security, the U.S. plans to purchase icebreakers from Finland, known as the global leader in icebreaker design and technology.

The U.S. has ordered icebreakers from Finland to enhance its Arctic capabilities, citing the country's expertise. Finnish firms have designed the majority of the world's icebreakers, with the U.S. set to acquire four from Finland and build another seven using Finnish designs domestically. This move is part of a larger strategy to bolster U.S. presence in the Arctic amid increasing Russian and Chinese activities.

As President Donald Trump continues to insist that the US needs to own Greenland, his wider focus on the Arctic region has seen Washington order new icebreakers.

For these ships, which can sail through seas covered in solid ice, the US has gone to the world expert – Finland.

Temperatures are sub-zero inside Aker Arctic Technology's ice laboratory, as the scale model of an icebreaker cruises down a 70m-long simulation tank.

It ploughs a neat channel through the frozen surface of the water.

Undergoing testing at a facility in Helsinki, Finland's capital, this is a design for the next generation of the country's icebreakers.

It's crucial that it has sufficient structural strength and engine power, says ice performance engineer, Riikka Matala.

Finland is the undisputed world leader when it comes to icebreakers. Finnish companies have designed 80% of all those currently in operation, and 60% were built at shipyards in Finland.

The country leads the way out of necessity, explains Maunu Visuri, president and chief executive of Finnish state-owned company Artica.

It was this expertise that saw Trump announce in October that the US planned to order four icebreakers from Finland for the US Coast Guard.

We're buying the finest icebreakers in the world, and Finland is known for making them, said Trump.

Under US law, the country's naval and coastguard ships must be domestically-built, but in this case the president waived that requirement on national security grounds.

This US concern comes as climate change continues to make the Arctic Ocean more navigable for cargo ships, at least if icebreakers lead the way by cutting a path.

The first contracts were awarded on 29 December. Finland's Rauma Marine Constructions is to build two icebreakers for the US Coast Guard at its shipyard in the Finnish port of Rauma.

Meanwhile, the US orders are part of an effort to catch up with the number of Russian icebreakers. Currently, Russia has around 40 operational icebreakers, while the US only has three.