Bollinger Shipyards on Tuesday announced it has received a $951.6 million contract to proceed with building the United States’ first new heavy polar icebreaker in nearly 50 years.
The Lockport, La.-based shipbuilding group said the contract modification advances the detail design and construction phase of the U.S. Coast Guard polar security cutter (PSC) program, paving way for the series’ first vessel, the 460'x88' USCGC Polar Sentinel (WMSP-21)
The deal was awarded by Naval Sea Systems Command. The Navy is managing the program alongside the Coast Guard through an integrated office.
The PSCs are a new class of ships designed to replace the aging U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker fleet, which experiences frequent mechanical issues and is becoming increasingly expensive to maintain. The 399' heavy icebreaker USCGC Polar Star (WAGB-10) was commissioned in 1976 and the 420' medium icebreaker USCGC Healy (WAGB-20) in 1999.
“Securing this contract modification has truly been a herculean effort and underscores the incredible trust the U.S. government has placed in Bollinger to build and deliver the first heavy polar icebreaker in half a century,” said Ben Bordelon, president and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards.
The PSC build program has a long and troubled history, plagued by significant delays and rising costs. The initial PSC, for which VT Halter Marine in Pascagoula, Miss., was awarded a $745.9 million contract in 2019, has been waiting to begin construction. It was originally scheduled for delivery in 2024.
According to a 2024 Congressional Budget Office report, the total procurement cost for the first three vessels, including the planned USCGC Polar Bear (WMSP-22) and USCGC Polar Glacier (WMSP-22), is estimated to be around $5.1 billion, more than double the original estimates.
Bollinger Shipyards, which took over the PSC builds through its acquisition of Halter Marine in November 2022, has spent the past few years working to get the program back on track. The builder cut steel for a series of up to eight prototype modules in 2023.
Bollinger said it has been expanding its workforce and capabilities to support the PSC program. Since its 2022 acquisition, Bollinger has increased its Mississippi workforce by over 61%, with production roles at Bollinger Mississippi Shipbuilding (BMS) in Pascagoula rising by more than 178%. These numbers are expected to grow as icebreaker production ramps up in the coming years, the company said.
Under the new contract modification, work will be performed primarily at BMS, as well as locations in Boston; Peoria, Ill.; Crozet, Va.; Atlanta; New Orleans; Chicago; Harvey, La.; and elsewhere.
The Coast Guard, meanwhile, has sought ways to strengthen its operations in the Arctic while awaiting the delivery of the PSC fleet. In December, it accepted ownership of the Aiviq, a 360’8”x80’x34’ commercial polar class 3-equivalent icebreaker acquired from a subsidiary of Edison Chouest Offshore.
The vessel, to be renamed USCGC Storis (WAGB-21), is expected to enter service in 2026 and will be homeported in Juneau, Alaska, once required shore infrastructure improvements are completed. In the meantime, the Coast Guard is exploring temporary homeport options.
