U.S. and allies to build more icebreaker ships

The United States, Canada, and Finland on Wednesday jointly committed to building more icebreaker ships to carve routes through the ice of the Arctic and Polar regions. The three allies promise to increase cooperation and share research and expertise while building the ships. The project will be called the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort, or ICE Pact, according to a joint announcement.

Why are they signing this pact? The three allies aim to uphold the rules-based international order while also asserting their collective presence in the Arctic and Polar regions, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said. The objective is to keep the Arctic and Polar regions safe, peaceful, and prosperous, the allies’ joint statement said.

Does the United States already have icebreaker ships? As of March, the United States Coast Guard had only two functional icebreaker ships, according to the Congressional Research Service. A fleet analysis report last year said the Coast Guard would need at least nine to perform proper Arctic and Polar missions in the coming years, the service added.

Dig deeper: Read Grace Snell’s report about how changes in the Arctic region are triggering an international race for newly available resources.