Serious Nations Do Serious Things. Unserious Nations Waste Their Inheritance

ignoring the Arctic is strategic malpractice

It’s been a couple of years since we’ve covered the USA’s icebreaker saga, so let’s catch up. First of all, let’s see what our nation’s #1 competitor is up to in the far north.

The People’s Republic of China is not an Arctic nation, but it’s certainly not acting that way.

China’s Ministry of Transport has announced that it will develop a new heavy icebreaker and a new heavy-lift semi-submersible vessel capable of salvaging and rescuing vessels in the Arctic. This would supplement their two existing icebreakers and be in addition to reports of their development of a nuclear-powered icebreaker. With these investments, the Chinese have signaled a commitment to Arctic infrastructure and the importance of safe navigation for their economic lifeline — global shipping — in a way that the United States has failed to do.

She is reaching WAY out of her sphere of influence to learn how to operate in the Arctic, partnering with the premier Arctic power, Russia.

As reviewed at gCaptain, the graphic at the top of the post is from:

Two Chinese heavy-lift vessels arrived off the coast of the sanctioned Russian Arctic LNG 2 project after a five-week journey through challenging early winter sea ice. The ships are carrying large-scale power generation modules constructed over the last two years by China’s Wison New Energies, an engineering, procurement, and construction company. The power plant is key to commissioning the second train of Russia’s flagship liquefied natural gas project. 

For much of the voyage the two vessels, Ocean 28 and Na Feng Zhi Xing, traveled in convoy as they passed through more than 1,500 nautical miles of partially ice-covered seas. At times progress was slow-going at only 1-2 knots searching for a path through broken first-year ice. Ocean 28 does not have any ice classification. 

Now that we see what the serious nations are doing in the far north, let’s see what the USA, who unlike China is an actual Arctic nation, is up to.

In the 2022 post linked to above, we discussed the new icebreaker, Polar Sentinel. How is that doing? Via Patricia Kime earlier this summer:

Construction of a new heavy-duty icebreaker for the Coast Guard may begin by the end of December, more than five years after the service awarded a contract for the much-anticipated ship's design and build.

Vice Adm. Paul Thomas, the Coast Guard's deputy commandant for mission support, told a House subcommittee Wednesday that the design for the polar security cutter likely won't be complete, but the process will be far enough along to start building portions, or modules, of the vessel.

Huh. Starting construction without a finalized design? Good thing that this approach has a good track record.

The service awarded a $745 million contract in 2019 for the polar security cutter with hopes that the first ship of the class would be delivered in 2023. The ambitious timeline was derailed by the complexity of the design -- U.S. shipbuilders haven't constructed an icebreaker for decades -- as well as rising costs and the shipyard sale.

…

As an interim measure, the Coast Guard was given $125 million earlier this year to purchase a commercial icebreaker, which it plans to convert to military use. It has not made the buy, however, and is still drafting a request for proposal while also waiting for additional money to operate the ship, according to Thomas.

"Critical -- we asked for about $20 million ... so we could operate and outfit that vessel in fiscal 2024 -- and that was reduced to $1 million. We are going to need additional appropriations in 2025 so we can operate what we buy," Thomas said.

The Coast Guard has called the polar security cutter its top acquisition initiative.

So, what is the senior officer of the US Coast Guard’s initiatives focused on to support this? Seems important.

Oh, she has “initiatives.” I am sure these support her priority projects.

Oh, never mind.

Well, if the USCG is lost in DC, at least there are adults in the room who are doing their best to shore up our infrastructure in one of the most strategic bit of territory we have—geographically, energy wise, national resource rich, protecting the rest of North America along the great circle routes from Asia, and our gateway to the Arctic…right?

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) says plans to build the country’s first deep draft port in the Arctic are too expensive.

USACE canceled its port expansion contract solicitation on Wednesday, October 16. It cited two key factors: the proposed pricing exceeded both the cost limits set by U.S. law and the available funding for the project.

According to a City of Nome resolution from September of 2023, the estimated  total cost of the project was $662,569,000, with a 90-10% split primarily paid for by USACE.

Per the resolution, the city was set to pay 100% of costs related to local improvements such as roads, docks, and utilities.

The decision halts the project that aimed to significantly improve and expand the capacity of the Port of Nome, a critical hub for cargo and commerce in western Alaska. The project would have deepened the port to 40 feet, allowing for large military vessels and cruise ships to dock.

No one ever looks at a map.

Just look at it. Do I need to say anything more?

I’m not exactly sure who is keeping track of the global plot, but they’re failing.

…and yes, I know who officially is supposed to be running the plot, but that does not mean they are.

The facts speak for themselves.