Is Global Icebreaker Race Imminent?

... has reason to be concerned about its position in the High North: It currently has only two ageing icebreakers with only one of them—the USCGC Polar Star, commissioned in 1976—being fully operational. Canada can boast a more sizeable fleet of 17 icebreakers, but no more than three or four of them can be called to active duty without any major repair works needed. US European allies—including Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark—experience similar problems. In contrast to the West, Russia is implementing an ambitious long-term icebreaker building program: It has at its disposal more than 40 fully operational vessels, seven of which are nuclear-powered....