Icebreaker Collaboration Effort
In November 2024, Canada signed a joint Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the United States and Finland to establish the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (ICE Pact).
The ICE Pact enhances industry collaboration among the three countries. It coordinates expertise and strengthens the three countries’ abilities to design, build and market best-in-class arctic and polar vessels, including icebreakers.
There are four main components to the ICE Pact:
- enhanced information exchange between Canada, Finland and the United States
- workforce development collaboration
- engagement with allies and partners
- research and development
Canada brings decades of experience building and using icebreakers in harsh arctic conditions. This knowledge base and skilled industry make Canada a key partner in advancing the ICE Pact goal of working collaboratively to develop advanced icebreakers and related technologies.
On this page
- Memorandum of understanding
- About the partnership
- Implementing the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort
- Participating in the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort
- News
- Related links
Memorandum of understanding
The purpose of the MOU is to outline how the three countries will work together to improve their ability to design, build and maintain arctic and polar icebreakers and related technologies.
The MOU focuses on increasing:
- information exchange
- industrial collaboration
- operational know-how
The participants also recognize that the production of icebreakers extends beyond shipyards. It involves coordinating with and developing the capabilities of many other players in the supply chain, including:
- engineering companies
- marine equipment manufacturers
- system suppliers
- software providers
- other related sectors
A key intention behind the MOU is to strengthen the shipbuilding industries in each country while generating economic benefits, including good-paying jobs.
About the partnership
Through the ICE Pact, Canada, Finland and the United States recognize the enduring importance of the arctic to our collective economic, climate and national security.
The three countries resolve to deepen cooperation to ensure the arctic and polar regions remain peaceful, cooperative and prosperous. This partnership is a commitment that recognizes our joint priority of operating to uphold safety and security in the arctic.
The ICE Pact aims to further this goal by developing new equipment and capabilities more quickly through coordinated activities that include expertise sharing and joint construction.
Under the ICE Pact, the partners will also collaborate on a workforce-development program to ensure workers have the skills and training to build these specialized ships.
Canada’s critical expertise
Canada successfully revitalized its shipbuilding industry through the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS). By working with Finland and the United States to develop and build world-class arctic and polar icebreakers, Canada is building on this foundation and supporting a skilled, competitive shipbuilding industry.
Canada’s world-class expertise in arctic and polar capabilities is foundational to the success of the ICE Pact. The Canadian Coast Guard has the second-largest icebreaking fleet in the world. In May 2021, Canada awarded contracts for two new polar icebreakers under the NSS. These polar icebreakers will be even more powerful than its current largest, the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St-Laurent. One of the polar icebreakers will be built by Chantier Davie and the other by Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards.
National Shipbuilding Strategy
Implementing the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort
Following the signing of the MOU, the three partner countries developed an implementation plan and have been meeting regularly to advance the action items.
Meanwhile, the ICE Pact is already delivering tangible results. The partner nations have begun building vessels in the collaborative spirit of the ICE Pact. They’re also working with industry to assess global demand for icebreakers and related technologies, with the goal of unlocking export opportunities.
Key milestones
October 2025
The United States announced plans to renew its icebreaker fleet with the support and expertise of the Canadian and Finnish shipbuilding industries.
The United States Coast Guard selected two designs for its Arctic Security Cutter Program:
- the multi-purpose icebreaker design developed by Seaspan and Aker Arctic for six of the new arctic security cutters
- the MPPS-100, a fourth-generation icebreaker developed by Chantier Davie and Helsinki Shipyard that will be used to build five of the new arctic security cutters
November 2025
Ministerial representatives from the three partner nations met in Washington to sign a Joint Statement of Intent (JSOI). The JSOI strengthened their commitment to the ICE Pact and to industrial cooperation. It highlights the goal of working together to build and maintain icebreakers and related capabilities while supporting local shipbuilding industries.
Joint Statement of Intent for the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort
May 2026
At a meeting in Helsinki, the three ICE Pact partners took important steps to move from planning to delivery. They agreed on actions for the coming year, including:
- deepening engagement with industry
- assessing global demand and export potential
- securing access to innovative technologies
- advancing workforce development through best practices and targeted training
Collaboration on the Polar Max
Under the NSS, Canada is building the Polar Max icebreaker through a joint project with Finland. The vessel’s hull is being constructed at Helsinki Shipyard in Finland, now owned by Canada’s Chantier Davie. The assembly and outfitting of the vessel will take place at Davie’s shipyard in Lévis, Quebec. This hybrid-build model allows Canada to leverage Finland’s world-leading arctic shipbuilding capabilities while:
- strengthening domestic capacity
- supporting Canadian jobs
- enabling knowledge transfer to Canadian workers for future projects
Participating in the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort
Canada continues to work closely with its shipbuilding partners and supply chains to ensure that benefits and opportunities for the Canadian shipbuilding industry are realized.
In spring 2025, Canada published a request for information (RFI) on the implementation of the ICE Pact. The RFI identified important information about the Canadian shipbuilding industry’s technical expertise, infrastructure, and workforce capacity to build arctic and polar vessels.
The responses showed that Canadian industry is ready to support arctic and polar vessel construction. They also showed a strong interest in working with partners in all three countries.
Industry-led efforts already reflect this collaboration. They include:
- Chantier Davie’s acquisition of shipyards in Finland and the United States
- Chantier Davie’s and Seaspan's partnerships to support the delivery of the arctic security cutters for the United States Coast Guard
These efforts demonstrate how the ICE Pact drives innovation and strengthens partnerships across the shipbuilding sector.
As the ICE Pact evolves, it will create more opportunities to enhance shipbuilding capacity and collaboration in Canada.
Contact information
Industry partners who want to contribute to the ICE Pact and take part in engagement opportunities can contact:
spac.dgamdpactebg-icepactdmpb.pspc@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca
Use this email to:
- express interest in participating in ICE Pact activities
- share information about your organization’s capabilities
- learn about current or upcoming opportunities for collaboration
News
- National Coordinators Build on Successes of the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (May 2026)
- Canada signs joint statement of intent with Finland and United States to advance Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (November 2025)
- National Coordinators advance work on Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (July 2025)
- National Coordinators of the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort meet in Helsinki, Finland (March 2025)
- Canada signs new partnership agreement with United States and Finland to produce Arctic and polar icebreakers (November 2024)
- Canada, Finland and the United States joint statement on ICE Pact (July 2024)