The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star completed their mission Tuesday, Feb. 6 in support of the National Science Foundation (NSF) after cutting a resupply channel through 15 miles of Antarctic ice in the Ross Sea and escorting supply vessels to the continent. The Polar Star sailed from Seattle to assist in the annual delivery of operating supplies and fuel for
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The Arctic has traditionally been a region where cooperation has been common between nations. Its significance on the world’s geopolitical map is changing, however, as global warming leads to increased ice melt, thus reducing barriers to maritime navigation. Less ice means more shipping traffic and better access to resources, most notably, oil and gas. China, despite not having any
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Bollinger Shipyards delivered USCGC Richard Snyder, the 27th Fast Response Cutter (FRC) to the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard took delivery on Feb. 8, 2018 in Key West, Florida. The vessel’s commissioning is scheduled for April, 2018 in Atlantic Beach, NC. The 154 foot patrol craft is the 27th vessel in the Coast Guard’s Sentinel-class FRC program. It was built using an in-service
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The U.S. Coast Guard is planning to launch its first satellites in 2018 to demonstrate the use of satellites for Arctic search and rescue missions. The program, called “Polar Scout”, involves the use of miniature satellites called cubesats. The USCG Research and Development Center (USCG RDC) is investigating cubesat capabilities and examining how the satellites can assist a variety of
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The Joint Maritime Test Facility (JMTF) is jointly operated by the Coast Guard Research and Development Center and the Naval Research Laboratory, with the primary purpose of developing technology and strategies for responding to fires and oil spills at sea. The facility’s prime asset is a burn pan: a tank used to simulate a real-world marine environment to test the
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The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) announced the names for its Sentinel Class of fast response cutters (FRC), each vessel being named for a deceased leader, trailblazer or hero of the U.S. Coast Guard and its predecessor services of the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, the U.S. Lifesaving Service and the U.S. Lighthouse Service. The FRCs are replacing the aging Island-class 110-foot
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