ICE Pact explained

ICE Pact
Long Name:Icebreaker Collaboration Effort
Type:Tripartite treaty
Location Signed:Washington, D.C. United States
Original Signatories:
Signatories:
Languages:

The Icebreaker Collaboration Effort, commonly referred to as the ICE Pact, is a trilateral partnership between the United States, Canada and Finland.[1] The ICE Pact was formed on 11 July 2024 in Washington, D.C.[2] The ICE Pact is a partnership in efforts to bolster shipbuilding capacities and industries, especially the enhancing of icebreaker ship production capacity in Canada and Finland, and to counter the influence of the Russian Federation and China in the Arctic region.[3] [4] The United States formed the ICE Pact to strengthen the United States Coast Guard and to accelerate icebreaker shipbuilding for itself and allies with assistance from Finland and Canada.[5] [6] The country of manufacture is yet to be determined; US rules currently require navy ships to be manufactured in the United States, but not privately owned ships[7] (though there are Jones Act restrictions on transport services). Canada has contracted for one heavy icebreaker from Seaspan in British Columbia and plans to contract a second from Davie Shipbuilding in Quebec,[8] . Canada has contracted 16 icebreaking multipurpose vessels from Seaspan (currently in functional design as of August 2024 with detailed design starting in the first half of 2025) and 6 medium icebreakers from Davie (initial contract was awarded in March 2024).[9] Finland has "know-how"; Helsinki Shipyard has built more than half of the world's icebreakers.[10] [11] The US has an overall goal of 70-90 Arctic-capable ships built within a decade.[12] [13] Canada is mainly to help with the ramping up and scaling of icebreaker ship building capacity.

Background

See also: Arctic cooperation and politics and Arctic resources race. The United States started cutting off military cooperation with Russia after the 2014 Annexation of Crimea by Russia.[14]

Following the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine, Finland and Sweden joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Both Finland and Sweden and are members of the Arctic Council and in the Arctic region, however only Finland has become a member of the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort. In response to Finland bordering the Russian Federation and being a "unfriendly nation", Finland has taken effort to increase its military collaboration with NATO allies, especially with members of the Arctic region, such as the United States.[15] The other members of the Arctic Council started excluding Russia from Arctic coordination after the 2022 invasion.

By 2024, after-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic put shipbuilding in the United States years behind schedule, with shortages of experienced labor, supply chain delays, and design problems.[16]

With increasing temperatures due to global warming making navigation in more of the area more feasible more of the time, the Russian Federation seeks to exploit resources in the Arctic and to open trade routes in the Far North.[17] China also has had interests in the Arctic for a while, especially since 2013 when China gained a permanent observer status in the Arctic Council,[18] and China seeks to extend military capabilities, conduct research, and wishes to excavate resources in the Arctic.[19]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Finland, US, Canada to intensify icebreaker collaboration . 2024-07-12 . dailyfinland.
  2. Web site: Uusi-Hakala . Katja . 2024-07-11 . Joint Statement on ICE Pact . 2024-07-12 . Presidentti . en-US.
  3. News: Cecco . Leyland . 2024-07-11 . US, Canada and Finland form ‘Ice Pact’ to project influence into Arctic region . 2024-07-12 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  4. Web site: House . The White . 2024-07-11 . Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Polar Partnership “ICE Pact” Alongside Finland and Canada . 2024-07-12 . The White House . en-US.
  5. Web site: U.S., Canada and Finland announce joint Icebreaker Collaboration Effort - UPI.com . 2024-07-12 . UPI . en.
  6. Web site: 2024-07-11 . Jäänmurtaja-aloite on Suomelle merkittävä teollisuuspoliittinen mahdollisuus . 2024-07-12 . Valtioneuvosto . fi-FI.
  7. Web site: 2024-07-11 . Nato-jäsenyys tuo Suomelle himoitun yhteistyön . 2024-07-12 . www.iltalehti.fi . fi.
  8. News: Canada, U.S. and Finland form pact to build icebreakers for Arctic . Murray Brewster . CBC News . July 12, 2024.
  9. https://www.seaspan.com/press-release/in-the-midst-of-designing-and-building-21-icebreaker-vessels-seaspan-shipyards-welcomes-the-formation-of-the-ice-pact/ In the midst of designing and building 21 icebreaker vessels, Seaspan Shipyards welcomes the formation of the "ICE Pact"
  10. Web site: 2024-07-19 . Canada to work with Finland, U.S. on ‘Ice Pact’ to build icebreakers . 2024-07-20 . NNSL Media . en.
  11. Web site: 2024-07-11 . Suomi aloittaa jäänmurtajayhteistyön Yhdysvaltojen ja Kanadan kanssa – taustalla Kiinan toimet arktisella alueella . 2024-07-20 . Yle Uutiset . fi.
  12. Web site: 11 July 2024 . US, Canada, Finland launch effort to build ice-breaking ships as China and Russia cooperate in Arctic . 12 July 2024.
  13. Web site: Rizzi . Alberto . 2024-07-15 . Cold rush: How a transatlantic ship pact can win the race for the Arctic . 2024-07-16 . ECFR . en-GB.
  14. Web site: International Security Advisory Board: Report on Arctic Policy . September 21, 2016 . U.S. Department of State.
  15. Web site: 5 July 2024 . Puolustusyhteistyösopimus Yhdysvaltain kanssa (DCA) .
  16. Web site: US Navy ship building schedules hit by supply-chain woes, labor shortages . Mike Stone . April 2, 2024 . Reuters.
  17. Web site: 12 July 2024 . U.S., Finland and Canada join ‘ICE Pact' to counter Russia in Arctic .
  18. Buixadé Farré . Albert . Stephenson . Scott R. . Chen . Linling . Czub . Michael . Dai . Ying . Demchev . Denis . Efimov . Yaroslav . Graczyk . Piotr . Grythe . Henrik . Keil . Kathrin . Kivekäs . Niku . Kumar . Naresh . Liu . Nengye . Matelenok . Igor . Myksvoll . Mari . 2014-10-02 . Commercial Arctic shipping through the Northeast Passage: routes, resources, governance, technology, and infrastructure . Polar Geography . en . 37 . 4 . 298–324 . 10.1080/1088937X.2014.965769 . 1088-937X.
  19. Web site: 2023-04-20 . How China uses Russia to cement its position as an Arctic superpower . 2024-07-12 . Quartz . en.