The USCGC Healy (WAGB-20) is the United States' newest and most capable polar icebreaker. Thanks to its diesel-electric propulsion system, this ship is able to break through 51/2 feet of ice at 2.6 knots-continuously. Hotstart engine oil heaters keep the ship's operating temperatures constant when underway, and even while at port. Five hydraulically controlled cranes provide 100 percent coverage of the working decks-providing logistics services in extreme conditions. The Healy was built at the legendary Avondale Shipyard on the Mississippi River in Louisiana, which is now owned by Northrop Grumman. The Healy was named after Captain Michael A. Healy, who patrolled 20,000 miles of the Alaskan coast in the late 19th century. He operated in the same way the Coast Guard does today by protecting natural resources and trade routes, carrying out search and rescue missions, and pursuing scientific endeavors. When commercial fishing nearly wiped out Alaska's seal and whale population, Healy and Sierra Club founder, John Muir, introduced reindeer from Siberia so people wouldn't go hungry. Today, the Healy follows in these footsteps enforcing treaties, conducting scientific experiments, and rescuing and escorting ships-even when the temperature drops below -50 degrees. Mil-Spec: Uscgc Healy Wagb-20 Length: 420 feet (largest ship in the Coast Guard) Beam: 82 feet Draft: 29 feet Displacement: 16,400 LT (36,736,000 pounds) Endurance: 16,000 nautical miles at 12.5 knots (65 days between replenishment) Propulsion: Diesel-electric (four V-12 Sulzer diesel engines: 12Z AU40S, AC/AC Cyclo converters, and two Westinghouse AC Synchronous motors) Ship control: Twin screws, twin rudders, 2,500hp bow thruster with Alstom dynamic positioning system power: 30,000 hp and 1,212,000 lb-ft of torque Cruising speed: 12.5 knots Maximum speed: 17 knots Icebreaking rating: 41/2 feet at 3 knots continuous Observed capability: 51/2 feet at 2.6 knots continuous, up to 8 feet when ramming or backing up Accommodations: 19 officers, 12 chief petty officers, 54 enlisted, 35 scientists, 15 surge, 2 visitors Builder: Litton-Avondale Industries Support Craft: Helicopters: Two HH-65 Dolphins Boats: 38-foot cargo boat, 38-foot arctic survey boat, and two 23-foot rigid-hull inflatables The Healy is capable of carrying 1,220,915 gallons of diesel fuel and also has a computer-controlled machinery plant control and monitoring system (MPCMS) that allows for automated control of the ship's propulsion and auxiliary systems from a single location.The Healy is capable of carrying 1,220,915 gallons of diesel fuel and also has a computer- The Healy, along with the Canadian Coast Guard, is exploring and mapping the Arctic's continental shelf.The Healy, along with the Canadian Coast Guard, is exploring and mapping the Arctic's cont SOURCES USCG Icebreaker Science Operations www.icefloe.net United States Coast Guard www.uscg.mil/pacarea/cghealy By Jason Thompson Enjoyed this Post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues!
