The 150-member crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star fought a fire at approximately 9 p.m. PST Feb. 10 that broke out in the ship's incinerator room about 650 miles north of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. After initial response efforts using four fire extinguishers failed, fire crews spent almost two hours extinguishing the fire. Fire damage was contained inside the … [Read more...]
Damen Floats Australian Icebreaker ‘Nuyina’
Dutch shipbuilding group Damen has announced the successful float-out of the Antarctic Supply Research Vessel (ASRV) RSV Nuyina currently under construction at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania. The float-out took place over the weekend as the water levels in the yard’s dry dock holding the newbuild were raised by six meters; a process taking two days to complete. Once … [Read more...]
You Know About Harbor Pilots But WTF Is An Ice Pilot?
By Nick Ameen (USCG) Each year when the Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star visits Antarctica, its crew faces a unique challenge. Creating a navigable channel through a frozen sea to the National Science’s Foundation’s (NSF) McMurdo Station, where the ice is up to 10 feet thick, requires a particular set of skills. This is why the Polar Star is one of only two Coast Guard cutters … [Read more...]
Timelapse Video: Icebreaking LNG Carrier ‘Eduard Toll’ Transits the Northern Sea Route
Shortly after its official delivery last month, Teekay's new icebreaking LNG carrier Eduard Toll made its way to complete both its first loading at the Sabetta Terminal in the Russian Arctic and its first discharge in Montoir, France after sailing across the Northern Sea Route unescorted. The voyage marked the latest major milestone for shipping in the Arctic … [Read more...]
Arctech Helsinki Delivers Fourth and Final Multi-Functional Icebreaker to Russia’s SCF Group
Finland's Arctech Helsinki Shipyard has delivered the fourth icebreaker in a four-vessel series for Russian shipping company SCF Group (Sovcomflot). The vessel, known at the yard as NB 514, was handed over to SCF Group at the end of January after undergoing sea trials in the Gulf of Finland last fall. NB 514 was formally named after former Russian Prime Minister Yevgenyi … [Read more...]