Zukunft Heads to Greenland

As the cruise ship Crystal Serenity and her 1,700 passengers and crew undertake the vessel’s maiden northerly voyage from Alaska to New York this past week, U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Paul Zukunft and Arctic Caucus co-chairman Sen. Angus King held engagements in Greenland to personally observe and better understand the changes occurring in the Arctic. 

Diminishing sea ice is opening the Arctic to human activity, and Greenland's melting ice sheet is leading to more icebergs and higher sea levels. These changes have implications for the U.S. and international community in various arenas to include mass rescue, pollution response, resource exploitation, human welfare, economic prosperity and national security.

Observing the Jakobshavn Glacier in Greenland and witnessing the increased activity in the Arctic firsthand, Zukunft discussed the need for additional heavy icebreakers to protect U.S. economic and security interests and to enforce our own sovereignty.