USCG Polar Star Finishes Maintenance and Returns to Seattle After 308 Days
The U.S.’s only icebreaker capable of completing the annual supply missions to Antarctica, Polar Star, returned to her homeport of Seattle on September 23. The vessel had been away for 308 days, completing the annual trip to McMurdo Station and then to California for critical maintenance to keep the nearly 50-year-old vessel operational.
“Much has been asked of this ship over the past five decades,” said Capt. Jeff Rasnake, Polar Star’s commanding officer. “The completion of this extensive five-year maintenance and recapitalization project is a major milestone in enabling Polar Star’s operations into the future.”
Polar Star’s Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) was completed in five phases, spaced so that the vessel could also undertake the yearly trip to Antarctica. The last phase of the program began on March 30, 2025. It was focused on updating the gyro repeater, replacement of ancillary pumps and motors critical to the main propulsion and auxiliary systems, and refurbishing the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. Work completed in Phase Five took 175 days and represented an additional $12.7 million investment.
Returning from Operation Deep Freeze, the vessel proceeded directly to Mare Island Dry Dock in Vallejo. While in the yard, they overhauled one of the nine main diesel engines, and work was performed on the ship’s sanitary systems. Additional major work completed includes removing the centerline shaft for servicing and inspection, exchanging all three propellers, and renewing both forward and aft main deck surfaces.
Work on the rudder and props in April 2025 (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Seaman Nestor Molina)
“This is a tremendous ship, and it is in better shape today than it was ten years ago,” said Rasnake.?“That’s a testament to the unrelenting efforts of the crew, the enduring support of our mission partners, and the renewed enthusiasm and investment in our nation’s polar icebreaking capabilities.”
Commissioned in 1976, Polar Star is 399 feet (121 meters) in length and 13,500 tons displacement. Despite reaching nearly 50 years of age, Polar Star remains the world’s most powerful non-nuclear icebreaker with the ability to produce up to 75,000 shaft horsepower.
The Coast Guard highlights the critical nature of keeping the vessel operational for the annual mission to transport personnel, equipment, and supplies to Antarctica. The efforts over the past few years have been designed to extend her service life until at least the first of the new Polar Security Cutters can be delivered. While Bollinger was approved this spring to proceed with full construction of the vessel to be known as USCGC Polar Sentinel, the program is at least six years behind schedule. The Coast Guard anticipates the first ship will not be delivered before 2030.