Currently, the U.S. Coast Guard operates only two icebreakers. The HEALY’S sister ship, the POLAR STAR, is dedicated to maintaining sea lanes in Antarctica, which are crucial for resupplying American research stations. The U.S. Navy, notably, does not have any icebreakers in its fleet, leaving the U.S. Coast Guard as the sole operator of these essential vessels.
Alaska’s congressional delegation has long advocated for increased funding to allow the U.S. Coast Guard to expand its fleet of icebreakers, stressing the importance of these ships for both Arctic and Antarctic operations.
A 2023 study determined that the U.S. Coast Guard needs eight or nine polar icebreakers soon. However, only three new ships have been ordered, and the first of these isn’t expected to be operational until at least 2029.
In response, Alaska’s congressional delegation secured a $125 million appropriation in last year’s U.S. Coast Guard funding bill to purchase an additional icebreaker as a temporary solution. The only vessel that meets the U.S. Coast Guard’s requirements is the AIVIQ, a ship originally built in 2012 to support oil exploration in the Arctic Ocean.
The AIVIQ has had a mixed service record. Of note, it was one of two ships towing the Shell drilling rig KULLUK when that rig broke loose and ran aground off the coast of Kodiak. The vessel is currently owned by Offshore Service Vessels, LLC.
In anticipation of the acquisition, the U.S. Coast Guard has already secured additional waterfront property in Juneau. However, until this week, the agency had not officially confirmed its plans. U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda Fagan made the confirmation during a visit to Alaska alongside Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski.
“The United States is an Arctic nation, and the Coast Guard is vital to providing presence in our sovereign waters and the polar regions,” said Admiral Kevin Lunday, U.S. Coast Guard vice commandant, in a prepared statement. “As we continue to build the Polar Security Cutters, acquiring a commercially available polar icebreaker will enable the Coast Guard to increase our national presence in the Arctic, and homeporting this cutter in Alaska demonstrates the Service’s steadfast commitment to the region.”
The timeline for the icebreaker’s arrival in Juneau is uncertain. During a Friday visit to Anchorage with Senator Sullivan, Admiral Linda Fagan stated that the federal government still needs to negotiate the vessel’s purchase before any plans can move forward.
“I have a sense of urgency,” Admiral Fagan said. “We need to buy it. We need to get it painted red and a Coast Guard stripe on it and a Coast Guard crew.”
Admiral Linda Fagan emphasized the need for the U.S. Coast Guard to prepare facilities in Juneau to accommodate the upcoming icebreaker. She highlighted the importance of securing housing for the crew, adding that the vessel may temporarily operate out of Juneau while these preparations are completed, ahead of its permanent deployment.
Both Sullivan and Murkowski praised the U.S. Coast Guard for their action.
Murkowski said in a joint statement she released with Sullivan: “As I repeat often, we are an Arctic nation because of Alaska and we require the assets and manpower to fully and competently carry out our mission in the Arctic.”