Davie Defense has completed the acquisition of Gulf Copper & Manufacturing Corporation’s shipbuilding assets in Galveston and Port Arthur, Texas, marking a significant expansion of the Canadian-backed company’s presence in the U.S. maritime sector.
It is understood that Gulf Copper has been operating along the U.S. Gulf Coast for 75 years, reportedly maintaining two dry docks at each of two sites with berthing facilities measuring approximately 1,219 meters and 305 meters in length, respectively. The company previously served the offshore oil and gas, marine transportation, petrochemical, and government sectors, with its business focusing on ship repair, offshore services, and marine infrastructure.
The transaction between Gulf Copper and Davie Defense was completed on December 3, having secured all necessary approvals from the U.S. government, including review and approval by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).
With this acquisition, Davie Defense has become the newest shipbuilding company in the United States, belonging to the British Inocea Group, along with Davie Shipbuilding in Canada and Helsinki Shipyard in Finland. This move comes at a crucial time for the Trump administration in the United States, which prioritizes the development of Arctic capabilities and seeks to revitalize the American shipbuilding industry.
According to the plan, Kai Skvarla, CEO of Davie Defense, will concurrently serve as CEO of Gulf Copper. Steve Hale, Gulf Copper’s current CEO, will continue in an advisory role to ensure a smooth transition of the business.
Gulf Copper’s existing workforce of over 350 employees will be retained in full, and its facilities will continue to perform ship repair and construction operations, including work related to the Arleigh Burke-class Flight III destroyers.
This transaction makes Davie Defense a core partner in the Icebreaker Pact initiative, a trilateral cooperation initiative announced by the United States, Canada, and Finland in July 2024. In October 2025, the United States and Finland formally signed an icebreaker construction agreement; in November, the United States, Canada, and Finland issued a joint statement of intent aimed at promoting cooperation among the three countries in shipbuilding and Arctic defense.
At present, Davie Defense is in discussions with the U.S. Coast Guard regarding the delivery of five Arctic security icebreakers. This series of icebreakers is designed based on the fourth-generation polar icebreaker technology from the Helsinki Shipyard, which holds a world-leading position in the design and construction of medium-sized icebreakers. The shipyard has built over 50% of the icebreakers, and a significant portion of Russia’s non-nuclear-powered icebreaker fleet was constructed by this shipyard.
In light of this, Davie Defense asserts that should it secure the U.S. Coast Guard’s five Arctic security icebreaker project, it expects to deliver the first vessel within 26 months of contract award.
Kai Skvarla stated: “This acquisition marks Davie Defense’s formal establishment as a permanent force in the U.S. shipbuilding industry. The newly acquired shipbuilding assets, with over 350 existing employees, will be pivotal to expanding our operations in the United States.”
James Davies, co-founder of the UK-based Inocea Group, stated: “The completion of this transaction marks a milestone moment in the company’s development. We have now truly achieved transatlantic operations, with business coverage spanning the United States, Canada, and Finland.”
In October this year, the United States and Finland announced a partnership to build 11 new icebreakers. Four will be constructed by Finnish shipyards, while seven will be built at U.S. shipyards utilizing Finnish shipbuilding technology. Among the seven new icebreakers to be built by U.S. shipyards, three will be constructed by Davie Defense.
It is worth noting that in order to secure the U.S. icebreaker project, Davie Defense has decided to develop the newly acquired shipbuilding assets into the “American Icebreaker Factory,” which will become the largest expansion project of U.S. shipbuilding capacity in decades.
The base project is planned to involve an investment of approximately $1 billion and will be carried out in collaboration with U.S.-based Pearlson, which has participated in major projects for several leading shipbuilding companies including BAE Systems.
According to previously released renderings, the facility will feature at least six new assembly workshops and a newly constructed dockyard area built on reclaimed land along the waterfront. The existing four finger piers at Gulf Copper Shipyard will be demolished to make way for two new ship elevators.
With the signing of a trilateral agreement between the United States, Canada, and Finland in July 2024, Davie Defense has emerged as a potential shipbuilder for the U.S. icebreaker program. The completion of its acquisition of U.S. shipbuilding assets and the subsequent investment upgrade project further underscore the shipbuilder’s determination to secure the U.S. icebreaker contract.
However, in the U.S. icebreaker program, Davie Defense will face competition from a consortium led by U.S.-based Bollinger Shipyards, whose members include Finland’s Rauma Shipyards, Canada’s Seaspan Shipyards, and Aker Arctic Technology.