OTTAWA — Canada has signed a trilateral agreement with Finland and the U.S. to boost the production of icebreakers in an effort to safeguard the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
The"ICE Pact," as it's being called, is aimed at bolstering shipbuilding capabilities in the three countries to deter Russian and Chinese ambitions in the Far North."In the Arctic, new, faster shipping lanes hold the potential to create new economic opportunities and drive down shipping costs. And in the Antarctic, our partnership can also foster increased scientific research and international collaboration," the PMO said in a statement Thursday.
The 32 allies said in their joint statement at this year's summit that Russia"remains the most significant and direct threat to allies’ security." "As it becomes more accessible, security concerns become I think far more significant to us," he said, noting there are currently"huge gaps" in both security and presence in the North American Arctic.
Senior U.S. officials who spoke to reporters about the deal said they anticipate allies will want to build between 70 and 90 icebreakers in the coming years and they want domestic shipyards to gain from that production.
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