LOCKPORT, La. – On July 11, on the last day of the 2024 NATO Summit, the United States, Canada, and Finland announced their intent to create the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (ICE Pact). The White House said it is a “trilateral arrangement to collaborate on the production of polar icebreakers and other capabilities, alongside United States’ allies and partners, labor, and industry.”
Bollinger Shipyards, headquartered in Lockport, La., announced separately that it will play a role in ICE Pact and its efforts to strengthen the polar capabilities of the United States and its allies through the creation of a fleet of polar icebreakers. The U.S. Coast Guard said it requires polar icebreaking capability to support the country’s economic, commercial, maritime and national security needs in the Polar Regions.
Bollinger is currently under contract to build the Polar Security Cutter (PSC) heavy polar icebreaker for the Coast Guard.
“As the premier builder of American-made polar icebreakers, Bollinger Shipyards is proud to support the United States and our NATO allies with our deep expertise and capacity,” said Ben Bordelon, Bollinger Shipyards president and CEO, in a press release. “We have made, and will continue to make, significant, long-term investments in our facilities, infrastructure and workforce. Our goal is to create a world-class, American-owned shipyard capable of producing the first fleet of American-made polar icebreakers in over half a century, and we’re honored that responsibility lies with Bollinger.”
Earlier this year, the workforce at Bollinger’s Pascagoula, Miss., facility exceeded 1,000 employees.
“Our success in reaching this milestone is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our employees, as well as the strategic initiatives we’ve implemented to expand and grow our workforce and operations,” said Bordelon. “We are incredibly proud that Bollinger Shipyards is a critical part of the industrial base for our military and are honored to play a part in ensuring the national security of our nation.”
Since acquiring the Pascagoula facility in 2022, Bollinger said it has invested more than $40 million in upgrades to the facility’s infrastructure, technology, and personnel to build icebreakers. Bollinger also has launched workforce development initiatives, such as its Shipfitter Bootcamp, a 14-week workforce development program in partnership with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
