FAIRBANKS (Sputnik) — US Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Paul Zukunft told Sputnik in May that five US shipyards were currently preparing their icebreaker designs proposals amid the urgent need to renovate the outdated US icebreaker fleet, which consists only of two active polar icebreakers, including the only heavy icebreaker nearing the end of its service life. Earlier, the Coast Guard said it needed at least 6 icebreakers calling for more funding.
When asked if there is any active discussion about boosting funding for icebreakers, Young said, "There is talking about it but they’re not doing what they should do because they’re very very expensive."
"A $1.4 billion to build an ice breaker and that’s awfully expensive," the lawmaker explained. "Again, I go back to the people in Iowa and Nebraska and those areas, they’re not interested in funding an icebreaker."
Commander of the US icebreaker Healy Capt. Jason Hamilton told Sputnik earlier in May that the United States' need for having more icebreakers remains critical.
