Congressmembers in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee applauded the U.S. Coast Guard’s decision to award a contract modification to Bollinger Mississippi Shipyards for the Polar Security Cutter (PSC) program.
U.S. Reps. Sam Graves (R-MO) and Mike Ezell (R-MS) said the investment will help strengthen the country’s national security presence in the Artic while reinforcing Mississippi’s role as a leader in shipbuilding.
“As maritime activity increases in the Arctic, Russia and China are patrolling the region with new and capable icebreakers. American leadership in the Arctic requires a new fleet of Coast Guard cutters that can reliably represent and protect our national interests in the region,” Graves, the chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said. “While the Coast Guard’s efforts to procure new ice breakers suffered years of delays and cost overruns under the previous contractor, I applaud Bollinger Mississippi and the Trump Administration for righting the ship and moving this program forward.”
This contract modification will support operations at Bollinger Mississippi Shipbuilding, as well as project contributions from facilities in Massachusetts, Illinois, Virginia, Georgia, Louisianna, and other areas. The PSC program is expected to be finished by May of 2030.
The PSC is the first heavy polar icebreaker to be built in the U.S. in nearly 50 years. PSC provides enhanced operational capability in polar regions, which plays a role in safeguarding national security, economic stability and vital maritime and commercial interests. The Coast Guard’s polar icebreaking fleet currently includes on heavy icebreaker, the 399-foot Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star, commissioned in 1976, as well as a medium icebreaker the 420-foot Coast Guard Cutter Healy, commissioned in 1999.
“Bollinger Mississippi Shipyards’ contract to advance the Polar Security Cutter program is a major win for America’s maritime strength and Arctic presence,” Ezell, the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Chairman, said. “This historic investment ensures our Coast Guard has the tools needed to protect America’s sovereignty, our national security, and keep vital trade routes open.”