Ship manufacturer aims to play a role in the ‘ICE Pact’

MONTREAL — Davie, a Canada-based multinational shipbuilder, announced its intention to be among the first private sector contributors to an historic trilateral agreement between the governments of Canada, Finland, and the United States.

Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, and Finland’s President, Alexander Stubb, joined US President, Joe Biden, at the NATO summit in Washington, D.C., to launch the trilateral Icebreaker Collaboration Effort, or “ICE Pact.” This initiative will stimulate collaboration to achieve more efficient, rapid, and cost-effective production of icebreakers for both domestic and export markets.

As the world becomes more volatile, there is an unprecedented willingness and urgency among NATO allies to increase collaboration in research, trade, energy, and security in the contested polar regions. Icebreakers are key to meeting shared priorities. While adversaries’ shipbuilding industries operate on an effective war footing, Western allies markedly lack sufficient icebreakers and other specialized ships.

Davie says they commend the vision of the partners in creating the ICE Pact. As an icebreaker manufacturer with facilities in Canada and Finland, Davie says they are qualified to be a major contributor. Davie’s Finnish business, Helsinki Shipyard, has reportedly built over 50% of the global icebreaker fleet. Davie is also building polar icebreakers for the Government of Canada in Québec.

Demand for these specialized ships is arguably high, with more than 80 open projects among Western countries. Under the ICE Pact, global diplomatic collaboration will help icebreaker builders capture these opportunities.

The ICE Pact has three initial areas of focus: 1. Enhanced information exchange; 2. Workforce development; 3. An active invitation to partners and allies to buy icebreakers built in Canada, the US, and Finland. In the months ahead, a memorandum of understanding between the partners will define a practical framework for implementing the ICE Pact in each country. This will include a mechanism for adding new allies and partners.

The ICE Pact aims to strengthen the efficiency, resilience, and competitiveness of shipbuilding in the partner countries. Building superior ships for domestic and export markets may strengthen collective sea power, foster economic growth, and could create thousands of skilled jobs.