CG: US yards can build icebreakers

WASHINGTON – Adm. Paul Zukunft, commandant of the Coast Guard, is confident that American shipyards can build the service’s first icebreakers in 20 years for less than an estimated $1 billion. The plan is to build three heavy and three medium icebreakers. The National Academy of Science has proposed building four only heavy icebreakers to reduce overall costs. U.S. shipyards have not built ships of this design in 40 years. The last heavy icebreaker is Polar Star, which was commissioned in 1976. The current plan would build two classes in two phases. Work on three heavies would be first, but wouldn’t enter service until 2023 to replace Polar Star, which is already a decade past its original service life. Secondly, three medium icebreakers would follow, and would serve alongside and ultimately replace the relatively USCGC Healy. The problem with this approach is the first ship in a class is always the most expensive, and building both heavies and mediums means paying that start-up premium twice. (Source: Breaking Defense 08/01/17) Gulf Coast Note: USCGC Healy (WAGB 20) was constructed at Avondale Industries in New Orleans and delivered in 1999. The Avondale shipyard was reorganized in February 2013 as Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Avondale Plant and entered into the oil and gas production equipment business. Eastern Shipbuilding Group of Panama City, Fla., has been contracted to build Offshore Patrol Cutters for the CG. Construction is planned to begin in FY 2018. Delivery of the lead OPC is planned for FY-21.