USCG Ice breakers

That would make absolutely no sense for a cash-strapped service such as the USCG. Instead, I’d recommend them to maximize technical commonality with the heavy and future medium icebreakers.

Since when did common sense have anything to do with American policy??
Pork barrel considerations will prevail over any logical or economical considerations.

Well, it’s pretty obvious that I’m an engineer and not a politician…

It would be nice to know what kind of icebreakers the five shipyards are proposing for the USCG. After all, everyone is reportedly using a “parent design” approach and General Dynamics has reportedly teamed up with VARD (page 17).

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/08/06/2018-16760/polar-icebreaker-program-preparation-of-environmental-impact-statement

Request for public comment

RV Kronprins Haakon is FINALLY ready to leave on her first actual job in the Arctic:

Not sure if I should laugh or cry…

https://www.stripes.com/news/coast-guard-icebreaker-funding-reallocated-to-us-mexico-border-wall-1.540857

OK I was wrong on the pork barrel part, but not on the common sense in American policy.

BTW; I though the Mexicans were supposed to pay for the wall??

God fucking damnit, why didn’t I buy stock in Viking supply ships? We have known about the sale for a long time on this forum. 513% return :frowning:

It better investment would be Viking Cruise Lines.

Especially considering Gary Chouest just purchased a huge chunk of it…

They can always get the Chileans to build one

http://www.maritimejournal.com/press-releases/2018/damen-marine-components-to-supply-chilean-navy-for-antarctic-i-project

From Arctic Today:

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Work is progressing on the third new nuclear powered Russian icebreaker Ural:
http://www.en.portnews.ru/news/263101/

Not sure if this is in addition to earlier reported contracts for nuclear powered icebreakers?:
http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/2018/september-2018-navy-naval-defense-news/6498-zvezda-shipyard-selected-as-sole-builder-of-project-10510-leader-nuclear-icebreakers.html

It’s going to be a white elephant.

Maybe more white elephants in the making?
Atomflot to develop LNG powered icebreakers for year around NSR operation of the future:
http://en.portnews.ru/news/265125/

While the construction of the Leaders requires, among other things, the development of a completely new type of nuclear reactor (instead of doubling the number of reactors from Arktika, the Russians intend to double their size), the LNG-powered icebreakers can use off-the-shelf engines from e.g. Wärtsilä. I believe it’s a fairly realistic project with high probability of success (not just because they got some fairly good icebreaker designers involved, but also on a general level). The non-nuclear ships are also significantly cheaper than their atom-smashing counterparts, both to the new Arktika class they are now building as well as the proposed Leaders - at least three for the price of one of the nukes.

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The article makes perfect sense., it starts pushing hulls through the Zvezda shipbuilding complex and they can refuel directly at Sabetta.

Russia will own the Arctic.

There’s a fresh rendering of the new LNG-powered icebreaker on Page 5 (and well, other new Russian icebreakers on pages 3 and 4 as well):

The R/V Kronprins Haakon has been officially named in a ceremony in Tromso yesterday 17.11.2018:

But the final settlement with the builder is not yet in box. (At least not as of a few days ago)

Fishing expedition?