By Malte Humpert (gCaptain) –
U.S. Coast Guard presence within the Arctic has taken one other hit. Icebreaker Healy suffered an engineering compartment hearth on the finish of July throughout its annual summer time Arctic patrol. It’s now getting back from its aborted patrol on a single engine in an effort to try repairs.
The fireplace reportedly broken a starboard transformer on account of which the starboard engine stays inoperable.
The Coast Guard’s different icebreaker, the 50-year outdated Polar Star, will not be accessible throughout summer time as it’s present process a service life extension program on the Mare Island Dry Dock in California.
Healy departed from Seattle for its summer time Arctic patrol on June 12, 2024 taking it by way of the Bering Strait into the Chukchi Sea. It was touring in Canadian waters close to Banks Island round July 25 when it skilled an engineering house hearth.
The sequence of occasions was broadly confirmed round two weeks in a while August 7 by Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard Admiral Kevin E. Lunday throughout a chat on the Brookings Establishment in Washington DC.
“Coast Guard Cutter Healy, one in every of our solely two icebreakers, had simply begun her summer time patrol and was up north of Alaska and the Chukchi Sea. It had {an electrical} hearth within the engineering areas; she’s now having to return to house port to attempt to have an effect on repairs.”
Simply 4 years prior, in August 2020, Healy equally suffered from an engine room hearth damaging the starboard propulsion motor and shaft, additionally ending its summer time Arctic patrol. Happily, the Coast Guard had initially bought a spare propulsion unit when the vessel was constructed in 1997.
This time substitute components could also be more durable to come back by in line with Lunday
“Many of the equipment programs aboard are antiquated and for some there aren’t even components. We’re going to work as arduous as we are able to to restore it and attempt to protect the remainder of the patrol however that’s doubtful. And that’s a priority as a result of if Healy can’t proceed that patrol the U.S. can have no floor presence within the Arctic this summer time.”
Vessel monitoring websites present Healy turning round on July 26. It’s anticipated again at its house port of Seattle on August 14.
Happily the vessel had not been deeper into the Arctic and was working in largely ice-free waters of an Arctic ally.
In distinction, final summer time’s voyage took Healy into tougher waters adjoining to Russia’s Northern Sea Route when it traversed the Arctic Ocean for a joint operation with Norway’s KV Svalbard Arctic patrol ship.
The Coast Guard’s makes an attempt to rejuvenate and increase its icebreaker capabilities proceed to face ongoing delays. Little progress has been made on a contract with Halter Marine, now Bollinger Shipyards, signed in 2019, for 3 Polar Safety Cutters. Development on the preliminary vessel has but to start out.
Throughout the Brookings Establishment occasion Admiral Lunday said the Coast Guard hoped to finalize the design course of by the top of the yr.
The Coast Guard can also be seeking to buy the accessible industrial icebreaker Aiviq, as a stop-gap measure. $125m in funding was allotted by Congress however no concrete steps have been introduced.
Neither the press workplace of the Coast Guard Headquarters in DC, nor the general public affairs workplace of the Pacific Space supplied further info or responded to requests for remark.
Unlock Unique Insights Right this moment!
Be part of the gCaptain Membership for curated content material, insider opinions, and vibrant group discussions.
