Interior Alaska News

U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski (both R-Alaska) have expressed approval of the Coast Guard's (USCG) announcement that a commercial icebreaker will be homeported in Juneau. The decision, confirmed by Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda L. Fagan during her visit to Alaska with the senators, follows a previous commitment made to them.

In March, Sullivan and Murkowski secured $125 million for the icebreaker's purchase in the FY 2024 Homeland Security Appropriations Act after years of advocacy.

“This is an exciting day for Juneau, for Alaska, and for America. I want to commend Admiral Fagan for making this important announcement in our state, among Alaskans, and for keeping her commitment to homeport an icebreaker in Juneau,” said Senator Sullivan. “The need to build up our icebreaking capacity could not be more urgent: Just days ago, the Healy had to abort its summer Arctic patrol due to a fire, and the 50-year-old Polar Star remains out of commission undergoing its own repairs. Our national security interests in the Arctic have also never been more critical, demonstrated by the joint Russian and Chinese naval and air task forces that have operated off Alaska’s coastline these past two years. Since coming to the Senate, I’ve been working relentlessly to wake up our federal government to the strategic importance of this region. The sea change we’ve achieved since 2015 is unprecedented: serious Arctic security strategies from the Department of Defense (DOD) and each of the military services, a new DOD Arctic Security Studies Center at JBER, a new Department of Homeland Security Arctic Domain Awareness Center at UAA, America’s first deep-water Arctic port in Nome, a massive increase in Coast Guard vessels and infrastructure throughout Alaska that I secured working with the previous commandant, and now an icebreaker will officially be coming to Juneau. We have a lot more work to do but this is an important milestone and I know that the entire community of Juneau is working hard to prepare for it.”

“This announcement is a long-awaited landmark for Alaska and our nation’s icebreaker fleet, reflecting the simple fact that icebreakers belong in Alaska,” Senator Murkowski said. “Since 2016, I have overseen nearly $2 billion in investment to build out our icebreaking capacity including appropriation of $125 million to purchase this vessel and over $1.8 billion for the Polar Security Cutter program in an effort to bring United States’ fleet up to par with Arctic and even non-Arctic nations. Homeporting this commercial icebreaker in Juneau is also an acknowledgment of importance of Alaska’s strategic role in America’s defense especially as China and Russia increase their presence in Arctic encroach upon our borders. My thanks go Admiral Fagan U.S Coast Guard working congressional delegation get us today’s announcement Federal appropriations purchase ship just first step however In addition outfitting Aivuq meet Coast Guard specification more must done shoreside infrastructure housing preparing more Coast Guard families Juneau stand ready help facilitate along rest delegation As repeat often we are an Arctic nation because Alaska require assets manpower fully competently carry out mission Arctic”

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