Davie Defense, Québec, Canada, has unveiled plans for its “American Icebreaker Factory” in Galveston, Texas, a $1 billion investment with the ability to create over 7,000 jobs and billions in economic development, the company announced on its LinkedIn page.
“This investment will help transform Galveston’s historic Gulf Copper Shipyard into a state-of-the-art facility, with the opportunity to bring an impact of over $9 billion of growth to Texas and create over 7,000 jobs statewide,” Davie said in the post. “It also marks the first U.S. facility purpose-built to deliver Arctic-capable vessels at speed and scale.”
Davie Defense officials said the company stands ready to help America address key national security needs and boost Arctic readiness.
In June, the shipbuilder announced plans to acquire shipyard assets in Galveston and Port Arthur, Texas, from Gulf Copper & Manufacturing Corp., subject to financial, legal, and regulatory approvals, as well as land lease negotiations.
The deal follows a 2024 commitment from Davie to establish a permanent presence in the U.S. in a move to support the Coast Guard’s Arctic security cutter program, which aims to close the country’s strategic icebreaking gap.
Davie, which is Canada’s largest shipbuilder and one of only a few shipbuilders capable of rapidly delivering Arctic-ready ships, operates shipyards in Québec, Canada, and Helsinki, Finland, where around half of the world’s icebreaking fleet has been built.
