U.S. Coast Guard awards $173.7 million for Base Seattle modernization

The U.S. Coast Guard has awarded a $173.7 million contract to The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company to advance the modernization of Base Seattle. This project, designated as Phase 1B, is intended to develop the shore infrastructure necessary to support the service’s future Polar Security Cutters.

The contract covers several key improvements, including the construction of a new pier at Slip 36B, dredging, structural enhancements, and utility and electrical upgrades. These upgrades aim to provide two modernized major cutter berths capable of hosting the next generation of polar vessels used for missions in the Arctic and Pacific.

This phase follows Phase 1A, which was awarded in September 2025 and is currently 26% complete. The Coast Guard expects the first three phases of the modernization effort to be finished by 2030. However, a Government Accountability Office report has noted that the delivery of the first Polar Security Cutter may be delayed until at least 2033 due to construction and workforce risks.