Finland building icebreakers for US amid Arctic tensionsListen to this articleMost of the world's icebreakers are built in Finland - like the Urho, Kontio and Sisu, moored in HelsinkiHELSINKI - Finland is building a new fleet of icebreakers for the US but President Donald Trump's plans for Greenland, which he covets, and tense US-EU ties have raised concerns over the deal. In October, Trump and Helsinki announced that the United States coast guard will procure 11 icebreakers. "It is not possible to sail through the Arctic Sea without icebreakers and many big nations have interests in the Arctic right now," Viitanen said. In December, Finland's Rauma shipyard confirmed a contract from the US coast guard to build two icebreakers, to be completed in 2028. Managing director Kim Salmi told AFP they expected to sign a contract with the US coast guard for two icebreakers shortly.

Source: Bangkok Post February 03, 2026 22:06 UTC