New Canadian Icebreaker 'Polar Max' Begins Build in Finland to Strengthen Arctic Security
Dignitaries in Finland marked the start of work on a new Canadian icebreaker named Polar Max at a steel-cutting ceremony. The vessel is part of a trilateral partnership between the U.S., Canada, and Finland, announced in July 2024 to bolster Arctic defense amid increased Russian activity. Canada’s defense procurement minister Stephen Fuhr emphasized Arctic access and resource development. The hull will be built in Helsinki, Finland, then transported to Levis, Quebec, for completion by 2030. Quebec’s economy minister Christopher Skeete highlighted shared responsibility for Arctic security. U.S. President Donald Trump previously called Finland the 'king of icebreakers' and suggested the U.S. might buy up to 15 icebreakers. The U.S. hasn’t built a heavy polar icebreaker in nearly 50 years, with the last one commissioned in 1976. The project aims to leverage Finland’s shipbuilding expertise to meet U.S. and Canadian needs for icebreakers in a region where climate change is making the Arctic more accessible.