Trump’s administration is promoting the $44 billion Alaska LNG project, which would ship liquefied natural gas via an 800-mile pipeline from Alaska’s north to Asian markets, as an alternative to Russian LNG.
Another proposed venture, Qilak LNG, is targeting annual production of 4 million tonnes for export to Asia.
Mead Treadwell, a Qilak LNG founder, said it would not be unusual for a US LNG project to use icebreakers from any nation authorised by Washington.
“But we haven’t specifically asked for that,” he said.
An industry source told Reuters that Alaska LNG had “no identified needs for Russian icebreakers.”
It was unclear which, if any, project might benefit from such an arrangement if a deal were reached.
Nuclear icebreakers could also be used to transport construction materials and heavy equipment to Alaska’s remote, infrastructure-poor regions, where harsh weather and sea ice pose logistical challenges.