By Malte Humpert (gCaptain) – The icebreaking offshore supply vessel Aiviq has officially joined the U.S. Coast Guard fleet as the renamed CGC Storis. Once in service the vessel will become the Coast Guard’s first new polar icebreaker in more than 25 years.
“The Coast Guard is thrilled to acquire this icebreaker,” said Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan. “This acquisition is a vital step in increasing our operational presence in the Arctic,” she continued.
The $125m fixed-price contract with Offshore Service Vessels LLC, part of Edison Chouest Offshore, includes the delivery, reactivation, certification as well as modification of the vessel. It also entails crew training, spare parts, and sea trials to achieve operational readiness.
The USCG has not provided the exact timeline for completion of the modifications. During Congressional testimony in December 2024 officials said the vessel would be dispatched on its first Arctic patrol in 2026. Crew selection will begin during the summer of 2025 consisting of approximately 60 officers and enlisted personnel.
“The future Coast Guard Cutter Storis builds on our legacy of Arctic operations and underscores our commitment to asserting U.S. sovereignty and supporting national security in the region,” Fagan explained.
Modifications at Tampa Ship LLC in Florida have thus far been primarily focused on repainting of the hull.
Constructed in 2012 for Shell’s offshore oil exploration in Alaska the vessel is significantly newer than the service’s two other icebreakers, Healy launched in 1997 and Polar Star from 1973.
With a Polar Class 3-equivalent ice certification the vessel’s capabilities will be comparable to those of the medium icebreaker Healy.
Meanwhile construction on the service’s first new heavy icebreaker in 50 years, also called Polar Security Cutter, is beginning at the Bollinger Shipbuilding in Mississippi.
Consisting of 85 modules, construction of the vessel will take until 2030. USCG has authorized Bollinger to build the first 16 modules.
The beginning of construction represents a major step after more than 15 years of efforts to secure funding and complete the vessel’s design. Ultimately the Coast Guard is looking to acquire eight to nine polar icebreakers to meet its increasing operational demands in the Arctic and to counter growing Russian and Chinese activity in the region.
This past summer Russia and China conducted their first-ever joint Arctic patrol north of the Bering Strait close to Alaska. In total the two countries laid down, launched, or commissioned nine icebreakers or ice capable vessels in 2024.
“I acknowledge we have a national security threat now from the increased threat of competitors who are working together in ways we have not seen,” confirmed Vice Adm. Peter Gautier, the Deputy Commandant for Operations.
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