Coast Guard reports icebreaker breakdown near Seattle

U.S. Coast Guard medium icebreaker Healy suffered a major “engineering casualty” on July 13 while operating near Port Angeles, Wash., the service reported Friday.

There were no injuries, the Coast Guard said.

“The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Healy acted with speed and skill in responding to this casualty,” Adm. Kevin E. Lunday, commandant of the Coast Guard, said in a statement.

Healy was towed back to its homeport of Coast Guard Base Seattle, the service said. The incident is under investigation.

The Coast Guard did not say what “engineering casualty” occurred, but the term refers to significant damage to a ship’s propulsion or power systems. The service said Healy would require “major repairs” but did not provide an estimate on how long it would be out of service.

Shipping publication Maritime Executive, citing industry sources, reported there had been an explosion in the crankcase of one of Healy’s four engines following recent work done at Vigor Shipyard in Portland.

Healy, at 420 feet, is the largest of the three icebreaking vessels currently operated by the Coast Guard. It has been in service since 1999.

The service’s two remaining icebreakers are:

In his statement, Lunday said the engineering casualty underlined the need for up to 11 new Arctic Security Cutters that are to be built under a joint venture between the U.S. and Finland. The first cutter is expected to enter service in 2028.

“The nation needs a highly capable icebreaking fleet operated by the Coast Guard to ensure year-round access to the region,” Lundy said.