USCGC HEALY Update

Litton-Avondale Industries conducted builder’s sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico with HEALY on 23-30 August and preliminary acceptance trials on 11-13 October. HEALY was delivered on 9 November 99 and, after a period of fitting-out availability and repairs, departed New Orleans on 26 January 2000. Machinery/hull and science trials are planned for mid-January to June 99. The members of the AICC and RVTEC have been major players in the planning of these tests and the Coast Guard is highly appreciative of their efforts. HEALY’s schedule has been adjusted so that the Baltimore port call 19-23 March is on track. The ice trials are planned for an area near Baffin Island in the eastern Arctic. After completion of the trials, HEALY will return to Seattle by transiting the Northwest Passage. The formal commissioning will take place in September 2000. HEALY’s first unrestricted science cruise is scheduled for early spring of 2001.

POLAR Class Update

POLAR SEA completed Operation Deep Freeze in the Antarctic in early November 1998. Upon completion of that 5-month deployment, the ship transited to the Arctic for a spring mission near St. Lawrence Island in April 99. POLAR SEA is now undergoing a "Reliability Improvement Project" yard availability in Todd Shipyards, Seattle. It is anticipated that this work will be completed in April 2000 and that the ship will be available for a Science of Opportunity cruise during mid-June to late July.

POLAR STAR completed major repairs to the centerline shaft and deployed for Antarctic in mid-November, and is presently conduction operations for the Deep Freeze 2000. It is scheduled to return to Seattle in April 2000 and, following an in-port period for voyage repairs, will sail on a three-month Arctic mission from early July to late September. The Coast Guard is seeking interest for dedicated science support for this deployment.