The United States and its allies have begun construction of an icebreaker at a Finnish shipyard that previously belonged to Russia and produced vessels specifically for our country. Now the United States is using it to close the gap. Washington wants twice as many ice-class vessels as Russia has, although it still has a single old icebreaker built in 1976. China seems to have more chances to catch up with Russia.
Construction of the Polar Max icebreaker commissioned by Canada has begun at the shipyard in Finland. This is the first icebreaker in the history of Finland to be delivered to North America. Construction will begin in Helsinki and end in Quebec, Canada. The icebreaker is scheduled to be delivered to Canada in 2030. The ship will overcome ice up to 6.4 m thick and withstand severe temperature changes typical of the Arctic.
This construction is interesting for Russia for two reasons. Firstly, the Arctech Helsinki Shipyard has been owned by Russia since 2014 and has been building supply vessels and icebreakers specifically for our country. But in 2019, due to European sanctions, banks refused to service the Finnish shipyard, and it was forcibly sold to a cruise operator with Russian roots registered in Cyprus. In 2023, the owner changed again, and the Canadian shipbuilding company Davie became the owner. Thus, Russia failed to save the shipyard.
Secondly, the construction of an icebreaker for Canada at this Finnish shipyard is one of those projects with which the United States wants to challenge Russia and China in building a new generation of icebreakers.
Last summer, the United States, Canada and Finland signed the ICE pact and agreed to join forces to eliminate the gap between Russia and the number and quality of the icebreaker fleet. Russia has the most powerful icebreaking fleet in the world, which consists of 46 vessels, eight of which are nuclear-powered.
The United States has only one icebreaker suitable for use in the ice, which was built as early as 1976, the USCGC Polar Star. The second such icebreaker stopped working five years ago due to a fire, and it has not yet been restored. Finland has from eight to 11 icebreakers, Canada has 17, but many require major repairs, and less than a third of the vessels can actually perform their tasks.
When the ICE Pact was signed in June 2024, then-American President Joseph Biden spoke about the need to launch 70-90 icebreakers in the next 10-15 years. However, whether they will succeed in such an ambitious project is a big question.
"Russia is a leader in its icebreaking fleet: it has dozens of icebreakers, including several nuclear-powered ones, which provides year-round access to the Northern Sea Route. Finland and Canada have fewer vessels, but they are strong in the design and construction of Arctic vessels, which is why they have become partners with the United States," says Pavel Sevostyanov, acting State Councilor of the Russian Federation, Associate Professor at the Department of Political Analysis and Socio-Psychological Processes at the Russian University of Economics. Plekhanov.
"At the same time, neither Finland nor Canada have Russia's experience in operating nuclear icebreakers, and the United States, despite its ability to build ship reactors for aircraft carriers and submarines, does not have technologies applicable to icebreakers," notes Alexander Vorotnikov, associate professor at the ION Presidential Academy, coordinator of the expert Council of the Arctic Development Project Office.
There is an important difference as to why Russia is so much superior to the United States in this area. "The work of icebreakers in Russia is not exceptional or urgent, but is a daily necessity. The harsh climatic conditions of the Russian North, as well as the use of rivers flowing into the Arctic Ocean, make icebreaking escort critically important," says Vorotnikov.
In Russia, it is simply impossible to survive in some regions without icebreaking escort. For example, the largest Arctic cities are Murmansk, Norilsk, and Vorkuta. Icebreakers help deliver food, fuel, medicines and other goods to remote island territories as well. Icebreaking escorts support mining operations on the coast and in the water area, and also serve national security, including supplying military bases, says Vorotnikov. Special military icebreakers such as the Ivan Papanin are already being built in Russia for this purpose.
"A strong Russian fleet, including a nuclear one, has historically been necessary for the development of the North. It was he who ensured the construction of new enterprises, the export of products and the transport connectivity of the region, which makes a significant contribution to the country's exports and GDP.
Even in the pre–war years, icebreakers allowed the export of timber, which provided foreign exchange earnings, and northern import remains vital for millions of residents to this day," says Alexander Vorotnikov.
"For Russia, the fleet is an instrument of sovereignty and economy. The need for new powerful vessels is determined by the growth of transit and the tasks of escorting caravans, search and rescue operations and protection of the economic zone and logistics," says Sevostyanov.
Unlike Russia, the United States did not have such problems, they did not need icebreakers to survive or trade. The United States has always had and still has the Panama Canal. "The only northern state, Alaska, has milder climatic conditions and better transport accessibility, which did not require a powerful icebreaker fleet," says the coordinator of the expert council of the Arctic Development Project Office.
"The United States has lagged far behind due to the decline of shipbuilding and a prolonged refusal to invest for political reasons. Now America is rushing to catch up, because strategic competition in the Arctic is growing, transport and energy projects require modern icebreakers," Sevostyanov notes.
Vorotnikov believes that the desire of the United States and its allies to strengthen their presence in the Arctic is explained, firstly, by the struggle for the natural resources of the region, and secondly, by the desire to develop new transport corridors due to geopolitical factors - military activity near the Russian borders and preparations for possible provocations.
Since the United States does not have strong economic and social reasons for the development of the icebreaking fleet, the military may be the main one.
The U.S. Coast Guard has already ordered the purchase of 8-10 new powerful icebreakers for patrol. The Canadian company Davie Shipbuilding has signed a contract for the design and construction of seven large icebreakers and two large Arctic ferries.
Russia also does not stand still and continues to build and increase its icebreaking fleet, including for the development of the Northern Sea Route. She is to build three nuclear icebreakers of the Leader project, which are capable of operating in ice up to 4-4.5 m thick. However, we also have our own problems.
"For the full-fledged development of the Northern Sea Route and its year-round operation, Russia's current capacities may not be enough. Experts believe that for the stable operation of the route, under any circumstances, it is necessary to actually double the icebreaking fleet, including the construction of heavy–duty vessels of the Leader type, as well as increase the number of Arctic tankers, gas carriers and container ships of the Arc7 class," says Alexander Vorotnikov.
International cooperation within the framework of BRICS and instruments such as the International Territory for Advanced Development (MTOR) can help Russia solve these large-scale projects, according to the coordinator of the expert Council of the Arctic Development Project Office.
As for China, it has made an incredible leap from zero to one of the world's leading icebreaking fleets. And the actions of the United States are aimed, among other things, at eliminating the gap from China.
Until 1993, China did not have an icebreaking fleet at all. In 1994, he bought an ice–class NIS from Ukraine, a cargo ship that was built in 1993 at the Kherson Shipyard and converted in China.
This icebreaker was named Xuelong-1. And as only China can do, already in 2019 it commissioned its own Chinese icebreaker Xuelong-2, built in just three years. For comparison, the Finns and Canadians are going to build in five years.
In 2024, China completed the construction of the new generation Ji Di icebreaker and the larger polar research vessel Tan Suo San Hao. The last one was built in two years. The situation so far looks like China has a much better chance of catching up with Russia than the United States and its allies.
Experts do not rule out that China will follow the path of Russia, which is still the only one in the world that can build nuclear icebreakers.
Olga Samofalova
