The Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star breaks ice in McMurdo Sound near Antarctica on Jan. 13, 2018. US Coast Guard Photo
For the first time in almost five decades, the Coast Guard’s heavy icebreaker won’t be supporting Antarctic scientific missions in coming months but will operate instead the Arctic near Alaska, the ice breaker’s commander said recently. Read More
Coast Guard Cutter Healy conducts their Arctic West Summer 2018 science mission with the northern lights visible above the ship while in the Arctic Ocean, Nov. 12, 2018. US Coast Guard Photo
A Coast Guard icebreaker is cutting short a research mission to the Arctic after suffering a fire while underway on Aug. 18, the Coast Guard announced on Tuesday. Read More
The following is the July 29, 2020 Congressional Research Service report, Coast Guard Polar Security Cutter (Polar Icebreaker) Program: Background and Issues for Congress. Read More
The following is the June 10, 2020 Congressional Research Service report, Coast Guard Polar Security Cutter (Polar Icebreaker) Program: Background and Issues for Congress. Read More
An artist’s rendering of VT Halter Marine’s winning bid for the U.S. Coast Guard Polar Security Cutter. VT Halter Marine image used with permission
The White House released a memo Tuesday ordering the Coast Guard and other federal agencies to review the planned Polar Security Cutter fleet, a year after awarding the first-in-class icebreaker contract.
The following is the March 12, 2020 Congressional Research Service report, Coast Guard Polar Security Cutter (Polar Icebreaker)Program: Background and Issues for Congress. Read More
The following is the Feb. 5, 2020 Government Accountability Office testimony before the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security on the Coast Guard icebreaker programs. Read More
The following is the Feb. 5, 2020 Congressional Research Service report, Coast Guard Polar Security Cutter (Polar Icebreaker) Program: Background and Issues for Congress. Read More
The Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star moves through pack ice Dec. 28, 2019, about 200 miles north of McMurdo Station, Antarctica. The 43-year-old Polar Star is the nation’s only heavy icebreaker. This year marks the 64th iteration of the operation known as Operation Deep Freeze. U.S. Coast Guard photograph
The nation’s only heavy icebreaker USCGC Polar Star (WAGB-10) finished bashing a 23-mile channel through pack ice on Wednesday to reach the National Science Foundation’s research facility, McMurdo Station, in Antarctica.
Families of crewmembers aboard USCGC Polar Star (WAGB-10) watch as the vessel transits Elliott Bay en route to Antarctica, Nov. 26, 2019. The Polar Star, homported in Seattle, Washington, is the United States’ only heavy icebreaker. Coast Guard photo
As USCGC Polar Star (WAGB-10), the nation’s only heavy ice breaker departed Tuesday on its annual months-long mission to lead a supply convoy to the U.S. logistics hub in Antarctica, Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) renewed the effort to ensure members of the Coast Guard are paid during government shutdowns.
