Bollinger Shipyards, Lockport, La., on Thursday announced it has received approval from the U.S. Coast Guard to begin full production activities on the U.S. Coast Guard polar security cutter (PSC) program.
The news follows Bollinger’s recent award of a $951.6 million fixed-price-incentive-firm target contract modification, advancing the detail design and construction phase of the PSC program.
“Today’s announcement is a historic achievement not only for Bollinger Shipyards but also for American shipbuilding,” said Ben Bordelon, president and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards. “Securing the green light for full production underscores the confidence the U.S. government places in Bollinger to deliver the nation’s first heavy polar icebreaker in nearly 50 years. Our team at Bollinger Mississippi Shipbuilding has worked tirelessly to put the PSC program on a solid path forward, ensuring this vital national security asset will be built by American hands.”
Completion of the first PSC, the 460'x88' USCGC Polar Sentinel (WMSP-21), is anticipated by May 2030, Bollinger said.
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, Pascagoula, Miss., was awarded a $745.9 million contract in 2019, 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 Singaporean-owned VT Halter 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.
Since acquiring VT Halter, Bollinger has invested over $76 million into its Mississippi facilities and increased its Mississippi workforce by over 61%, the company said, noting production roles at Bollinger Mississippi Shipbuilding have risen by more than 178%.
The PSCs are a new class of ships designed to replace the aging 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.
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.
The Coast Guard is also seeking information from U.S. and international shipyards into the feasibility of building a new class of medium icebreaking cutters for Arctic duty – and delivering them within three years of starting construction.
