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 SA国际影视传媒淚CE Pact,SA国际影视传媒� as itSA国际影视传媒檚 being called, is aimed at bolstering shipbuilding capabilities in the three countries to deter Russian and Chinese ambitions in the Far North.
An implementation plan will be developed in the next six months, the Prime MinisterSA国际影视传媒檚 Office said.
SA国际影视传媒淚n 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,SA国际影视传媒� the PMO said in a statement on July 11.
The deal was signed on the sidelines of the NATO summit, which wrapped up on July 11 in Washington, D.C.
Finland is one of NATOSA国际影视传媒檚 newest members, joining officially in April 2023, a year before Sweden. The addition of the two Nordic nations means that NATO now includes all Arctic countries except Russia, and the region has taken on new importance in the alliance.
The 32 allies said in their joint statement at this yearSA国际影视传媒檚 summit that Russia SA国际影视传媒渞emains the most significant and direct threat to alliesSA国际影视传媒� security.SA国际影视传媒�
On Wednesday, defence ministers from Canada, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Iceland took part in a panel discussion about Nordic security at the summit.
Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair noted that with climate change accelerating in the North, experts believe the Arctic Ocean could be the primary transit route between Europe and Asia by 2050.
SA国际影视传媒淎s it becomes more accessible, security concerns become I think far more significant to us,SA国际影视传媒� he said, noting there are currently SA国际影视传媒渉uge gapsSA国际影视传媒� in both security and presence in the North American Arctic.
SA国际影视传媒淲e have now got a united NATO presence from RussiaSA国际影视传媒檚 eastern shore to their western shore,SA国际影视传媒� Blair said.
China, which calls itself a SA国际影视传媒渘ear-ArcticSA国际影视传媒� nation, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Russia to work together in the Arctic and has started building icebreakers of its own. The two countries have been conducting naval patrols in the Bering Sea in recent years.
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.
The White House said allies will be invited to buy icebreakers from American, Canadian or Finnish shipyards. Expertise will be shared among the three countries by having skilled workers train in other shipyards.
CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 national shipbuilding plan includes two new polar icebreakers, including one being built in Vancouver by Seaspan and one being built in Quebec by Chantier Davie, and a fleet of six program icebreakers by Davie.
Davie, which also has a facility in Finland, said in a statement that it is planning to take part in the pact. It said its Helsinki shipyard has built more than half the worldSA国际影视传媒檚 icebreaker fleet.
The U.S Coast Guard is building new heavy icebreakers out of a Louisiana-based shipyard, the first American-built ships of their kind in more than 50 years.
SA国际影视传媒擝y Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press
