Davie advances American shipbuilding expansion with planned acquisition of Gulf Copper’s Texas Shipyards

Davie, a leading international builder of icebreakers and other specialized ships, announced its intention to acquire shipbuilding assets in Galveston and Port Arthur from Gulf Copper & Manufacturing Corporation, a Texas-based leader in ship repair, construction, and marine services.

The transaction is still subject to financial, legal, and regulatory closing conditions, as well as land lease negotiations with the Galveston Wharves Board of Trustees. Once complete, Davie expects to finalize the acquisition in summer 2025.

James Davies, President and CEO of Davie, said: “We share a vision with Gulf Copper to make Texas a world-class hub for American icebreaker and complex ship production. Texas is ready to lead a new Golden Age of American shipbuilding—backed by our commitment to delivering ships on time, on budget, and in service of national security priorities.”

“A successful deal will open a new chapter for Gulf Copper,” said CEO Steve Hale. “For the first time in decades, complex shipbuilding could return to Galveston and Port Arthur—this time backed by one of the world’s fastest-growing specialized shipbuilders. Davie brings a bold vision: to make Texas the cornerstone of their U.S. expansion. That means opportunity for our employees, our partners, and our communities.”

The planned acquisition would fulfill the commitment Davie made in July 2024 to explore a permanent presence in America. It would support national priorities such as the U.S. Maritime Action Plan and the Ships for America Act. It would also align with the U.S. Coast Guard Arctic Security Cutter (ASC) program, which aims to rapidly deliver new Arctic-ready icebreakers while supporting the revitalization of U.S. shipbuilding.

Davie already has operations in Québec, Canada, and Helsinki, Finland—the latter has built around 50% of the world’s icebreaker fleet. Adding an American shipyard would make Davie uniquely positioned in the trilateral Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (ICE Pact) to deliver advanced icebreakers at speed, scale, and competitive cost—countering adversaries’ heavily subsidized programs — Russia operates a fleet of nearly 50 Arctic-ready icebreakers.

With only three Arctic-ready icebreakers currently in service, the U.S. government has made closing this urgent national security gap a top priority.

Davie possesses commercially viable, production-ready icebreaker designs that meet U.S. mission requirements, providing faster delivery and greater cost efficiency for American taxpayers.

Once the transaction is complete and contracts are secured, Davie plans to invest $1 billion to upgrade and expand capacity in Galveston and Port Arthur. The project could generate approximately 4,000 American jobs—around 2,000 directly at Gulf Copper and 2,000 more throughout the supply chain.

To ensure the rapid closure of the transaction, Davie is working closely with organizations and stakeholders in Galveston and Port Arthur, as well as the State of Texas. The acquisition has also received strong support in Washington, D.C.