photo from: USCG
USCGC Storis Begins First Arctic Mission After Panama Canal Transit
The United States Coast Guard’s latest polar icebreaker, USCGC Storis (WAGB‑21), successfully transited the Panama Canal on June 12, 2025, marking the beginning of its inaugural Arctic deployment. This vessel, acquired from Edison Chouest Offshore in December 2024 and formerly known as MV Aiviq, is the Coast Guard’s first polar-class icebreaker acquisition in more than a quarter-century.
Storis departed Bollinger Shipyards in Pascagoula, Mississippi, on June 3 and paused near the Panama Canal’s northern entrance on June 11 before completing an approximately eight-hour transit through the Gatun and Miraflores locks late on June 12. Although U.S. military vessels are entitled to expedited Panama Canal passage, documentation indicates that Storis did receive priority access, despite general southbound traffic being light at the time of its transit.
Following modifications to enhance its communications, dynamic positioning, and self-defense capabilities, Storis is now fully equipped for Arctic operations. The vessel measures 110 m in length, features four Caterpillar C280‑12 diesel engines powering dual controllable-pitch propellers, and is certified to ABS A3 Polar Class standards. It can achieve 15 kn in open water and break through one-meter thick level ice, with advanced thrusters allowing precise station-keeping.
Commanded by Captain Keith M. Ropella—former commanding officer of USCGC Polar Star—Storis carries a hybrid crew of Coast Guard cuttermen and civilian mariners. The vessel is expected to arrive in San Diego around July 2, before continuing northward. Its official commissioning ceremony is scheduled for August in Juneau, Alaska, which will serve as its permanent homeport once infrastructure improvements are made. Until then, the vessel will be temporarily stationed in Seattle alongside USCGC Polar Star and USCGC Healy.
This deployment significantly strengthens the U.S. maritime presence in the Arctic, countering increasing geopolitical activity by other Arctic nations. While Fortune-class Polar Security Cutters are in production, such as the future Polar Sentinel, expected to enter service around 2030, Storis fulfills an essential interim role, enhancing year-round access and reinforcing sovereignty in polar waters.
The Storis represents a major milestone in the Coast Guard’s Force Design 2028 initiative. Funded via the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022 and fiscal year 2024 appropriations, the vessel bridges capability gaps caused by aging icebreakers and delayed PSC deliveries, reinforcing national security and scientific operations in remote polar environments.
As Storis embarks on this Arctic mission, it provides critical icebreaking support, logistical operations, search and rescue capabilities, and freedom of navigation enforcement. This deployment marks a resurgence in U.S. polar operations and showcases both advanced vessel technology and crew readiness, amid a transforming strategic landscape in the High North.
