Federal agencies are working to acquire new icebreaking assets to support U.S. priorities in the Arctic for the next 30 years. To ensure these vessels meet the needs of the research community, the Arctic Marine Research Capabilities Committee (AMRCC)-chaired by WHOI's Dr. Carin Ashjian-was established in June 2024 to define essential Science Mission Requirements so that the U.S. would continue to be a global leader in Arctic scientific research. By integrating expertise from scientists, technicians, and operators, the committee worked to ensure that future icebreakers would maintain and further expand upon the oceanographic capabilities pioneered by the USCGC Healy in delivering world class Arctic ocean science research over the past 25 years.
Following a series of community meetings and a comprehensive researcher survey, the committee concluded its evaluation of the technical and operation capabilities required for successfully supporting future marine research across the Arctic. UNOLS is please to announce the release of the AMRCC Final Report, which serves as the formal recommendations provided to federal agencies to influence the design and functionality of future Arctic icebreaking platforms.
MANY THANKS to the AMRCC for their dedication to this task and the resultant comprehensive report.