Major icebreakers of the world

Only the “majors.” Smaller vessels (less than 10,000 HP), such as the Royal Navy’s HMS Protector, and “ice-strengthened” vessels such as the British Antarctic Survey’s RRS Ernest Shackleton, are not included.

U.S. Coast Guard’s 2013 Reivew of Major Ice Breakers of the World

The Coast Guard Office of Waterways and Ocean Policy (CG-WWM) began producing the chart of major icebreakers of the world in July 2010. Since then, we have gathered icebreaker information and recommendations from a variety of sources and experts, including icebreaker subject-matter experts, internet posts, news updates, Arctic experts and Coast Guard offices with icebreaker equities. We validate our information within the public forum and update the chart at least semi-annually based on new information and feedback. This chart represents the Coast Guard’s current factual understanding of the major icebreaker fleet. This chart is not intended for icebreaker fleet comparisons and no inference should be drawn regarding a country’s icebreaker “ranking” against another.

The following is the July 18, 2013 review by the U.S. Coast Guard of Major Icebreakers of the World.

Scope. Vessels meeting the general definition of a polar icebreaker per the 2007 National Research Council report on Polar Icebreakers in a Changing World are included. These vessels “have sailed in significant sea ice in either the Arctic or the Antarctic,” have “ice strengthening sufficient for polar ice” and possess “installed power of at least 10,000 horsepower.” Minimally ice-strengthened ships (enough to survive in ice, rather than operate in it) and icebreakers of less than 10,000 horsepower are not included. With the exception of the Baltic icebreakers, this chart does not indicate where their owners may actually operate them. In addition, the chart does not specify whether a vessel’s crew is civilian or military.

Classification Methodology: The chart organizes the icebreakers first by country, then by installed power category, and finally in order of placement in service, youngest to oldest. The chart colors icebreakers by their relative capability estimated using brake horsepower as the most common basis. The most capable icebreakers are black, the next level sea-green and the lightest icebreakers are blue. Icebreakers in construction are colored yellow, and planned icebreakers are white. Planned icebreakers are placed on the chart if we can reliably state they are funded. The chart identifies government-owned or -operated icebreakers with the country’s flag next to the icebreaker. Nuclear-powered icebreakers are marked with an N. Baltic icebreakers designed to operate solely in seasonal, first-year Baltic Sea ice but meeting the ice-strengthening and horsepower criteria are marked on the chart with a B. Most Baltic icebreakers may not have operated in the Arctic due to concerns with open-ocean sea-keeping ability for open water transits.

Fleet numbers and Icebreaker Size in Context. The fleet numbers and icebreaker size tend to align along each county’s economic necessity for icebreaker resources. For example, the economies of Finland, Russia and Sweden have greater dependence on major icebreakers to pursue economic goals in the Arctic and Baltic winters than the economies of other nations. Also, ice in these countries’ shipping lanes, rivers and ports forms earlier, lasts longer, and requires more power to break, requiring more extensive icebreaking capabilities. Similarly, the Canadian icebreaker fleet supports summer access and supply to Canada’s Arctic communities. In contrast, in addition to the polar icebreakers already listed, the U.S has a number of icebreakers operating in the Great Lakes, New England and the mid-Atlantic to facilitate commerce and for exigent circumstances, but these are not listed in this chart because the icebreakers are not required to meet the threshold of at least 10,000 BHP.

An undated photo of USCGC Healy (WAGB – 20). US Coast Guard Photo

http://news.usni.org/2013/07/23/u-s-coast-guards-2013-reivew-of-major-ice-breakers-of-the-world

Chile on track to buy another French assault ship

The Chilean Navy is on track to buy another reconditioned amphibious multirole assault vessel from France, Chilean defense media reported.

The Armada de Chile currently has several reconditioned foreign vessels in its fleet. The Almirante Williams (FF-19) is a former Royal Navy Type 22 frigate, the Almirante Cochrane (FF-05), the Almirante Condell (FF-06) and the Almirante Lynch (FF-07) are former Royal Navy Type 23 frigates, and the Sargento Aldea (LSDH-91) is a former French Navy Foudre-class LPD.

Chile on track to buy another French assault ship

SANTIAGO, Chile, July 1 (UPI) — The Chilean navy is on track to buy another reconditioned amphibious multirole assault vessel from France, Chilean defense media reported.

Purchase of the Sirocco 12,000-ton vessel was delayed through 2012 and this year as the Chilean navy considered various options for equipping Chile’s year-old Amphibious Expeditionary Brigade. The force eventually will have at least 1,400 troops in its ranks and an unspecified number of ships, helicopters and armored vehicles.

President Sebastian Pinera and aides see the expeditionary force as a prestige addition to the military infrastructure, to be used for a range of missions from disaster relief to international peacekeeping under U.N. auspices.

In 2011 Chile acquired another Sirocco multirole ship from France, previously called the Foudre. The vessel was renamed Sargento Aldea after it entered Chilean naval service and heralded the launch of the Amphibious Expeditionary Brigade.

Chilean officials have not yet discussed details of the second purchase. The Foudre was sold to Chile for $80 million but it’s far from clear if the same price will apply to the second ship. The Foudre was involved in an incident while pursuing French military operations in west Africa in 2009. On Jan. 17 that year, one of the ship’s helicopters crashed off the coast of Gabon, killing eight French military personnel. Casualties during the ship’s previous operations in Ivory Coast and during the NATO operations in Yugoslavia were not discussed.

The Sargento Aidea operates out of Valparaiso, Chile’s historic transit point for ships operating between the Pacific and the Atlantic via the Magellan Strait. The waterway has assumed strategic importance for Chile as it projects its military and political presence in the Antarctic and surrounding regions.

Official consideration of the second purchase was also held up amid leadership changes in the Chilean navy. This month Adm. Enrique Larranaga Martin took over as the new naval chief, replacing Admiral Edmundo Gonzalez-Robles. Military analysts say with that change at the top the stage was set for completing the purchase.

The French navy plans to retire an amphibious assault ship later this year.

Progress on the Amphibious Expeditionary Brigade has been slow. The Sargento Aidea still is being refurbished and may add more helicopters to its inventory. At full capacity, the Foudre-class vessel can carry up to seven helicopters, about 100 armored vehicles and transport up to 450 troops, Chile’s Defense and Military blog said on its website.

Chile regards the amphibious ships as valuable to its program of developing patrol duties along the Pacific coast, enhancing the ship’s role as a hospital on the move to cater for outlying inhabitants along the coast and perform other peacetime security duties.

There are plans also to acquire more helicopters and armored vehicles.

Chile would be able to move its Amphibious Expeditionary Brigade many thousands of miles, and be able to support it with armor and logistical units, the blog said.

“But the brigade still would lack one of the key elements of a true blue water navy: warplanes,” it said. Chile has no plans to acquire vertical-takeoff planes such as Harriers to give its marines an air-attack or air-superiority arm. Instead, the brigade is being built to serve as a peacekeeping force, though it certainly could be used in case of armed conflict.

Former Navy Commander Adm. Gonzalez-Robles said the Foudre’s purchase was more than a new acquisition.

“What we are doing is recovering the capacity we lost when Valdivia after fifteen years in service was decommissioned,” he said, citing the former U.S. Navy ship acquired by Chile in 1995 and retired in January 2011.

Earlier Chile bought a 42,000-ton tanker, Andrew J. Higgins, from the U.S. Navy. Renamed Almirante Montt the vessel replaced AO-53 Araucano, which was decommissioned after 40 years of service.

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2013/07/01/Chile-on-track-to-buy-another-French-assault-ship/UPI-67731372706571/