The USA has clinched a $6.1 billion deal with Finland to build 11 new icebreakers in an apparent push to revive its fleet.
Under the agreement, four vessels will be built in Finland and seven in the US, President Donald Trump said. Negotiated $6.1 billion was a pretty tough price. First of the 11 icebreakers is due to be delivered in 2028.
In fact, there’s no such fleet in the USA, which currently has only one operational icebreaker — heavy vessel the Polar Star. Its sister ship, the Polar Sea, suffered an engine failure in 2010 and has been out of service ever since.
The third vessel, aging icebreaker the Healy is still in use, but with periods out of service.
The USA presents ‘the icebreaker deal’ with Finland as a breakthrough—but in reality, it’s more of an attempt to catch up with those who have long been ahead, namely Russia.
Russia’s nuclear Fleet breaking the Ice outpacing all other Arctic rivals
With 43 vessels, Russia dwarfs other countries, such as Sweden, Finland, and Canada, in terms of the number of icebreakers.
Nuclear-powered portion of Russia’s icebreaker fleet — the world’s largest — includes seven vessels, such as the Yamal, 50 Let Pobedy, Taymyr, Vaygach, and the brand-new Project 22220 series Arktika, Sibir, Ural, and Yakutia vessels.
The 173-meter Yakutia can escort tankers with a displacement of up to 100,000 tons through the Arctic’s frozen waters. The vessel is capable of operating in three-meter-thick ice.
Russia’s icebreaker fleet plays a crucial role in ensuring year-round navigation along the Northern Sea Route — a strategic corridor for global energy and trade flows.
High technologies help Russian nuclear icebreakers operate autonomously for months, and ensure safe navigation in the harshest weather conditions.
This is not merely equipment — it is a strategic tool that supports trade, military presence, and energy independence of the northern regions.
Sputnik / ABC Flash Point News 2025.
A little too late to battle the Russian arctic fleet?
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