23.6.2026
Helsinki Shipyard and Sata Shipbuilding will together deliver the first U.S. government ships ever built in Finland.
Pori I Helsinki I Finland – June 23, 2026 – Sata Shipbuilding today began construction of the first Arctic Security Cutter (ASC) icebreaker for the United States Coast Guard (USCG). The steel cutting ceremony in Pori marked a major milestone in the effort to rebuild American icebreaking capability and strengthen Arctic security.
Authorized under the U.S. Presidential Memorandum, “Construction of Arctic Security Cutters,” Davie Defense will deliver five ASCs. The first two will be built at Helsinki Shipyard supported by Sata Shipbuilding. Three more ASCs will be constructed at affiliate shipbuilder Gulf Copper in Texas, which on June 1 broke ground on a major modernization.
Building in Finland ensures the shipbuilder can meet the USCG’s accelerated delivery schedule for the first ASC – due in 2028. American shipbuilders will work and learn alongside Helsinki’s world-leading icebreaker builders. This will support the efficient construction of three ASCs in Texas.
The start of production marks a major milestone in the United States’ efforts to rebuild strategic icebreaking capability and rejuvenate its domestic shipbuilding industry.
In support of the construction of the first two ASC’s, the combined Helsinki Shipyard and Sata Shipbuilding direct workforce will reach 1,000 by the end of 2026, with hundreds more jobs created throughout the supply chain. The program will strengthen the competitiveness of Finland’s maritime cluster and reinforce the country’s position as the global leader in icebreaker design and construction.
In line with the trilateral Icebreaker Collaboration (ICE Pact), the ASC program demonstrates how allied nations can work together to strengthen Arctic security, expand domestic industrial capacity, and accelerate the delivery of strategic assets.
Niko Suomela, Managing Director of Sata Shipbuilding, said: “This is a historic milestone for Sata Shipbuilding and our Group. We are proud to begin work on the Arctic Security Cutter for the United States and to lay the foundation for a program of great significance to both Finland and America,”
Mika Heiskanen, CEO of Davie Shipyards Finland, said: “We are proud to contribute our expertise to this transatlantic industrial partnership. Finnish excellence in specialized shipbuilding is recognized around the world because it is built on a proven record of delivery. Helsinki Shipyard and Sata Shipbuilding have the experience, expertise and commitment to deliver these vessels on time, on quality and on budget.”
James Davies, Co-founder Inocea Group, said: “Plans don’t defend nations, strategic assets like the ASC do. Today, we are turning commitment into action. The Arctic Security Cutter program will strengthen Western maritime security, rebuild critical U.S. strategic capability with Finnish expertise, and reinforces our position as a trusted global partner in delivering complex, ice-capable vessels. “
Alex Vicefield, Co-Founder Inocea Group, said: “By combining our operations in Finland with our shipyards in Texas we are bringing world-leading icebreaker expertise to a proven Arctic Security Cutter design and delivering critical capability to the United States by 2028.”
About the Arctic Security Cutter Program
The ASC is a new class of polar icebreakers designed to conduct U.S. Coast Guard missions in the world’s most challenging maritime environments. The ASC will provide the Coast Guard with a modern icebreaking fleet to support national security, maritime safety, and polar access.
About Inocea Group
Inocea Group, a British-owned marine industrial group with operations spanning the United States, Canada, and Finland, is the parent company of Davie Defense, Davie Shipbuilding, Helsinki Shipyard, and Sata Shipbuilding. Davie Defense is a U.S. shipbuilder, bringing more than 75 years of shipbuilding experience to the Gulf Coast through Gulf Copper Shipyard and executing the U.S. Coast Guard’s Arctic Security Cutter (ASC) program. Davie Shipbuilding, based in Quebec, Canada, is building the world’s largest orderbook of heavy icebreakers. Finland’s Helsinki Shipyard is the recognized global leader in icebreaker construction and is developing the first two icebreakers for ASC delivery, working alongside Sata Shipbuilding, a world-class steel fabrication specialist. Across the Inocea Group, these facilities design, build, and maintain mission-critical vessels, including icebreakers, warships, and luxury passenger vessels.
Media enquires
Antti Leino
Director, Public Affairs
+358 40 705 8769
antti.leino@davie.group