U.S. Coast Guard’s New Arctic Icebreaker USCGC Storis Sets Sail on Maiden Voyage

The U.S. Coast Guard has marked a significant milestone in its Arctic capabilities with the maiden voyage of its newest icebreaker, USCGC Storis (WAGB 21), departing from Pascagoula, Mississippi.

The deployment represents the service’s first polar icebreaker acquisition in over 25 years and comes at a crucial time for U.S. interests in the Arctic region.

The vessel, formerly known as Aiviq, was acquired from Edison Chouest Offshore in December 2024 for $125 million. The contract included vessel delivery, reactivation, certification, modifications, crew training, and sea trials. Built in 2012 for Shell’s offshore oil exploration in Alaska, the Storis is considerably newer than its counterparts in the Coast Guard’s icebreaker fleet – the Healy (1997) and Polar Star (1973).

Under the command of Capt. Keith M. Ropella, former commanding officer of the Polar Star, the Storis operates with an innovative hybrid crew structure combining military cuttermen and civilian mariners. The vessel’s Polar Class 3-equivalent ice certification puts its capabilities on par with the medium icebreaker Healy.

The timing of this deployment is particularly significant, as Russia and China last summer conducted their first joint Arctic patrol north of the Bering Strait near Alaska. The Storis will play a crucial role in expanding U.S. operational presence in the Arctic while the Coast Guard awaits delivery of its new Polar Security Cutter class.

The Coast Guard’s broader strategic vision includes building a fleet of eight to nine polar icebreakers, supporting the President’s initiative to acquire at least 40 new icebreakers. Currently, the service operates three polar icebreakers, 21 domestic icebreakers, and 16 ice-capable buoy tenders. Construction of the first new heavy icebreaker in 50 years is underway at Bollinger Shipbuilding in Mississippi, with completion expected around 2030.

The Storis will be commissioned this August in Juneau, Alaska, its future permanent homeport. However, it will temporarily operate from Seattle alongside the Coast Guard’s other polar icebreakers until shore infrastructure improvements in Juneau are completed.

The vessel is the second in Coast Guard history to bear the name Storis, following the original “Galloping Ghost of the Alaskan Coast,” which conducted icebreaking operations in Alaska and the Arctic for 64 years before its decommissioning in 2007.

The vessel’s acquisition, funded through the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022 and fiscal year 2024 appropriations, is part of the Coast Guard’s Force Design 2028 (FD2028) initiative, announced by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. The transformation plan aims to enhance the service’s readiness and capabilities through focused improvements in personnel, organization, contracting, acquisition, and technology.

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