USCG Ice breakers

[Tupsis]

@CaptainBulkhead

I would bet that the contract will also be split up with the designs.

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.

[ombugge]

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

[Tupsis]

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).

[Quimby]

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

Request for public comment

[ombugge]

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

I kveld seiler prestisjeskipet Kronprins Haakon på sitt første offisielle tokt

[Tupsis]

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

[ombugge]

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??

[Kraken]

Sveaas-rederi stiger over 500 prosent etter milliardgevinst - E24 Aksjelive

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

[Cajun_Guy]

It better investment would be Viking Cruise Lines.

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

[Tellarian]

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

[ombugge]

From Arctic Today:

US Coast Guard evaluates the environmental effects of new icebreakers

The draft report, which is open for public comments until September 20, found no significant impacts to the environment.

By Melody Schreiber
August 16, 2018

The U.S. Coast Guard is seeking comments for a environmental evaluation for plans to build up to six new icebreakers for the Arctic. (Debbie Hutchinson / USGS)

The U.S. Coast Guard is seeking public comment on its draft environmental impact statement on the design and construction of six polar-class icebreakers.

The polar regions are growing in importance to the security and economy of the United States, the report says.

As the environment changes, more people will likely enter the region — from cruise ship tourism to Navy operations to oil and gas exploration. All of this activity would likely lead to a rise in Coast Guard missions in the Arctic, particularly around search-and-rescue and security.

Challenges to these missions include a lack of infrastructure, harsh conditions, and long distances in the Arctic. Constructing the icebreakers, the report says, would help address some of these challenges.

The draft report looks at how the icebreakers might affect their environment, from natural resources like habitats and sea ice to activities like research, shipping and tourism. Impacts fall into two main categories, according to the draft. The first is acoustic: the sounds made by the vessel and the breaking ice, as well as potential noise from aircraft and guns. The second is physical: the movement by vessels and devices through the water and air.

The analysis concludes that both sound and physical stressors would both result in, “at most, minor to moderate behavioral responses.” Any negative effects would be offset by improving operating practices, the report says.

Meanwhile, the draft says an increased Coast Guard presence in the Arctic would like improve the local economy by offering more safety services to commercial and recreational fishers, researchers, shippers, tourists and subsistence hunters.

In short, the proposed construction of additional icebreakers “would not significantly impact or harm the physical, biological, and socioeconomic environments,” the report finds.

The Coast Guard’s preferred option would be to design and build six new icebreakers, as Congress has directed. However, another option would be to lease vessels, as the Navy and National Science Foundation do, for instance.

The environmental analysis is open to public comment until September 20.

[ombugge]

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

[ombugge]

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

[Tupsis]

It’s going to be a white elephant.

[ombugge]

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/

[Tupsis]

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.

[Tellarian]

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.

[Tupsis]

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):

arctic_passion_news_2_2018.pdf

[ombugge]

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

Prinsesse Ingrid Alexandra døpte skip «Kronprins Haakon»

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

[Tellarian]

Fishing expedition?

Shipyards: FMG & its Quest to Build USCG Icebreakers