Coast Guard names homeports for 3 new icebreaker cutters in Alaska

The Coast Guard’s first two Arctic Security Cutters will be homeported in Kodiak, Alaska, the service said Thursday.

A third Arctic Security Cutter will be homeported in Seward once the infrastructure is ready, according to a news release.

Commandant of the Coast Guard Adm. Kevin E. Lunday said these homeports will “strategically position” these icebreakers to “reinforce America’s maritime dominance in the Arctic.”

“This positioning is critical to national security, enabling the Coast Guard to defend our northern border and meet evolving threats with speed and strength,” Lunday said.

Currently, the three certified icebreakers operated by the Coast Guard are homeported at Coast Guard Base Seattle in Washington.

In April, the service announced Alaska as the future homeport for the new icebreaker fleet. As the Coast Guard accelerates preparations ahead of the first cutter’s expected delivery in 2028, the service is working to ensure the location can support sustained Arctic operations.

Once delivered, the Arctic Security Cutters will serve as a core part of the modernized fleet designed to operate in extreme conditions and maintain a U.S. presence in the Arctic.

“America’s future in the Arctic demands strength, capability and resolve,” Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin said. “These cutters will deliver the enduring operational capability our Nation needs to defend our sovereignty, deter adversaries, and safeguard vital resources for the American people.”

The effort is supported by $3.5 billion in Fiscal Year 2025 funding and international cooperation with Finland. Officials say the program represents one of the most significant investments in icebreaking capability in decades, the release said.