ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Congress has passed a bill authorizing an additional Coast Guard (CG) Polar Security Cutters (PSC) for use as icebreakers, and the Trump administration is considering leasing an icebreaker in Florida. The CG has two icebreakers, but only one is operational. Ongoing construction work on a new icebreaker is not expected to be finished until 2024 at VT Halter Maine in Pascagoula, Miss. U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) co-authored the bill with Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss,) and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.). Russia has 53 icebreakers and Canada has seven, according to CG data. Sullivan referred at the hearing to “another icebreaker that’s in Florida” as a possible leasing option under consideration. The Aiviq is owned by Louisiana-based Edison Chouest Offshore International - the only privately-owned icebreaker in the U.S. Tracking websites showed the vessel was docked in Tampa. Edison Chouest built the Aiviq for a Shell Oil offshore Arctic drilling project that was later discontinued. (The AP 12/15/20) https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2020/12/15/congress-oks-new-arctic-icebreakers-for-coast-guard/
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