Title page
Contents
Summary 2
Introduction 5
Background 5
Missions of Coast Guard Polar Icebreakers 5
Statutory Duties and Missions 5
Multiple Missions (Not Just Icebreaking) 6
Polar (Not Just Arctic) Operations 6
Current Coast Guard Polar Icebreakers 7
Required Numbers of Coast Guard Polar Icebreakers 8
Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Programs 9
Polar Security Cutters (PSCs) 9
Commercially Available Polar Icebreaker (CAPI) 17
Service Life Extension for Polar Star 18
Trilateral Polar Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (ICE Pact) 19
Coast Guard Great Lakes Icebreakers 19
Current Fleet 19
New Great Lakes Icebreaker (GLIB) 21
Issues for Congress 23
PSC Program: Cost Growth 23
Increase in Estimated Procurement Costs Since April 2019 Contract Award 23
Factors that Could Further Increase Estimated Procurement Costs 24
CBO 2024 Cost Estimates 27
PSC Program: Schedule Delay 28
PSC Program: Technical Risk 29
Parent Design and PSC Design 29
May 2024 GAO Testimony 30
July 2023 GAO Testimony 31
July 2023 GAO Report 32
April 2023 GAO Report 33
PSC Program: Contract with Options vs. Block Buy Contract 35
PSCs and ASCs: Using a Common Design 38
PSCs and ASCs: Using a Foreign Shipyard 39
Overview 39
Laws Relating to Building Ships in Foreign Shipyards 40
Trilateral Polar Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (ICE Pact) 41
CAPI: Total Cost to Purchase and Modify 41
Legislative Activity for FY2025 42
Summary of Appropriation Action on FY2025 Funding Request 42
FY2025 DHS Appropriations Act (H.R. 8752) 42
House 42
Appendix A. Current U.S. Polar Icebreakers and Polar Research Ships 44
Appendix B. Required Numbers of U.S. Polar Icebreakers 52
Author Information 73
Disclaimer 73
Table 1. Estimated PSC Procurement Costs as of 2021 10
Table 2. Procurement Funding for PSC Program Through FY2024 17
Table 3. Summary of Congressional Appropriations Action on FY2025 Procurement Funding Request 42
Figure 1. Rendering of Halter Marine Design for PSC 11
Figure 2. Model of Halter Marine Design for PSC 12
Figure 3. Rendering of Halter Marine Design for PSC 12
Figure 4. Rendering of Halter Marine Design for PSC 13
Figure 5. Rendering of Halter Marine Design for PSC 13
Figure 6. Rendering of SDC Concept Design for Polarstern II 15
Figure 7. Great Lakes Icebreaker Mackinaw 20
Figure 8. CBO Cost Estimates for PSC Program 27
Table A-1. Coast Guard and NSF Polar Ships 50
Table B-1. Major Polar Icebreakers as of April 4, 2022 53
Figure A-1. Polar Star and Polar Sea 44
Figure A-2. Polar Sea 45
Figure A-3. Healy 46
Figure A-4. Nathaniel B. Palmer 48
Figure A-5. Laurence M. Gould 49
Figure A-6. Sikuliaq 49
Figure A-7. Commercial Ship Aiviq 51
Figure A-8. Commercial Ship Aiviq 51