Canadian Shipbuilder Davie Reveals Plans For $1B Icebreaker Factory In Texas

Davie Defense Inc., the American arm of Canadian shipbuilder Davie, has revealed detailed plans for a $1 billion “American Icebreaker Factory” in Galveston, Texas, marking one of the largest expansions of U.S. shipbuilding capacity in decades.

The facility will be developed at the Gulf Copper shipyard, a historic site on Galveston’s waterfront, and will be purpose-built to deliver Arctic Security Cutters for the U.S. Coast Guard. Renderings show at least six new assembly bays, a reclaimed waterfront apron, and two new shiplifts replacing four of the yard’s existing finger piers.

Davie Defense said the investment is designed to meet the Trump administration’s shipbuilding priorities, including the Coast Guard’s urgent need for new polar vessels.

The new facility is being developed in partnership with Pearlson, a Florida-based specialist in shipyard design and program management, which has previously worked with BAE Systems, Austal USA, and Fincantieri Marinette.

Davie also highlighted the role of its Finnish subsidiary, Helsinki Shipyard, which has decades of experience in constructing advanced icebreakers. Helsinki has built many of Russia’s non-nuclear icebreakers and is currently producing Canada’s Polar Max, scheduled for delivery by 2030 as one of the world’s most powerful polar ships.

Executives said this expertise will be applied in Texas, noting that their proposed Arctic Security Cutter (ASC) design is already proven in seven ships. Davie Defense claims it can deliver the first ASC within 26 months of signing a contract.

The U.S. Coast Guard, backed by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, has a $3.5 billion budget for medium icebreakers but must allocate it quickly. In April, the service issued a Request for Information for up to three ASCs that could be delivered within three years. The goal is to have the first ship in service before the end of President Donald Trump’s current term.

Currently, the U.S. has only three polar icebreakers, while Russia operates over 40, and China is quickly expanding its fleet.

The Coast Guard’s current Polar Security Cutter program at Bollinger Shipyards has faced major delays, with the first delivery now pushed to 2030, six years behind schedule.

Davie Defense projects the Galveston yard could directly employ more than 2,000 workers and support more than 7,000 jobs across Texas. An independent study by Impact Data Source estimates the overall economic impact at $9 billion. The company added that around 4,000 jobs nationwide could be created across its supply chain.

The project faces competition from a new consortium led by Louisiana-based Bollinger Shipyards. That group includes Finland’s Rauma Shipyard, Canada’s Seaspan Shipyards, and Aker Arctic Technology, and is also aiming to build the next generation of U.S. icebreakers.

Davie’s expansion in Texas follows its acquisition of Gulf Copper’s shipbuilding assets in Galveston and Port Arthur, a deal announced in June and expected to close soon. The company said it shares a long-term vision with Gulf Copper to turn Texas into a hub for advanced icebreaker and complex ship construction.

The initiative also supports the ICE Pact, a trilateral agreement signed in July 2024 by the U.S., Canada, and Finland to strengthen cooperation on icebreaker production and polar security. Davie’s Canadian operations have delivered more than 720 specialised ships since 1825, while Helsinki Shipyard has built over half the world’s icebreaker fleet.

A formal ceremony is planned in Texas this fall to mark the start of construction on the new facility.

Source: Maritime Shipping News