Pascagoula, MISS – The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Storis is shown here from a top view while underway, June 3, 2025. The Storis is the Coast Guard’s first new polar icebreaker acquisition in 25 years and will expand U.S. operational presence in the Artic Ocean. Photos courtesy of Edison Chouest Offshore.
Below is a USCG news release. There are a couple of interesting details in this release.
First the statement that, “Storis is commanded by Capt. Keith M. Ropella who currently serves as chief of cutter forces at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington D.C….” This seems to suggest that Captain Rosella is commanding a ship from his desk in CG HQ. I have heard of something similar, the CO of the CG Yard is nominally CO of the cutters that are stored at the Yard that are “in commission, special.”
Second, “The vessel is manned with a hybrid crew consisting of military cuttermen and civilian mariners.” I don’t know if the Coast Guard has ever done this, but this seems to similar to the way the Navy mans their Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) ships. Will Storis normally be manned this way?
I have a complaint about this news release. The opening paragraph says, “The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Storis (WAGB 21)…departed on its maiden voyage to safeguard U.S. sovereign interests in the Arctic and conduct Coast Guard missions.” It departed Pascagoula Mississippi; I don’t think it is going to the Arctic. I think it is in transit to Seattle. Why didn’t they just say that? That would explain the unusual command and manning or is the Coast Guard going to depart from its usual operating procedures?
USCGC Storis departs on maiden voyage
PASCAGOULA, Mississippi – The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Storis (WAGB 21), the Coast Guard’s first polar icebreaker acquired in more than 25 years, departed on its maiden voyage to safeguard U.S. sovereign interests in the Arctic and conduct Coast Guard missions.
Storis’ departure marks an early milestone in the Service’s transformation through Force Design 2028 (FD2028), which includes reforming Coast Guard acquisitions to rapidly deploy capabilities to execute the Coast Guard’s missions.
The motor vessel Aiviq, acquired Dec. 20, 2024, from an Edison Chouest Offshore subsidiary, was renamed Storis following modifications to enhance communications and self-defense capabilities. The vessel will expand U.S. operational presence in the Arctic and support Coast Guard missions while the service awaits the delivery of the Polar Security Cutter (PSC) class. The Coast Guard will continue evaluating the cutter’s condition and requirements to achieve full operational capability.
Storis is commanded by Capt. Keith M. Ropella who currently serves as chief of cutter forces at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington D.C., and previously commanded Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10), from July 2022 to July 2024.
The vessel is manned with a hybrid crew consisting of military cuttermen and civilian mariners. This is the second vessel in Coast Guard history to bear the name Storis. The original Storis, known as the “Galloping Ghost of the Alaskan Coast,” had a storied history conducting 64 years of icebreaking operations in Alaska and the Arctic before being decommissioned in 2007.
Storis will be commissioned this August in Juneau, Alaska, which will eventually be the vessel’s permanent homeport. Until the necessary shore infrastructure improvements are completed in Juneau, Storis will be temporarily berthed in Seattle, Washington, with the Service’s two other polar icebreakers.
The acquisition was made possible through the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022 and fiscal year 2024 appropriations. It does not affect the ongoing procurement of PSCs and is not part of the PSC program of record.
The Coast Guard operates the United States’ fleet of icebreakers to assure access to the polar regions to protect U.S. sovereignty. To fulfill this mission and meet operational needs in the polar regions, the Coast Guard requires a fleet of eight to nine polar icebreakers. In support of the President’s intent to acquire at least 40 new icebreakers, the Coast Guard is working to replace, modernize and grow its aging fleet of icebreakers, which currently includes 3 polar icebreakers, 21 domestic icebreakers and 16 ice-capable buoy tenders. As the United States’ third polar icebreaker, Storis will provide near-term operational presence and support national security as a bridging strategy until the full complement of PSCs is delivered.
Announced by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem on May 21, FD 2028 is a blueprint to transform the Coast Guard into a stronger, more ready and capable fighting force. This initiative will include campaigns focused on people, organization, contracting and acquisition, and technology. You can read more about FD 2028 here: Force Design 2028.
Chuck Hill's CG Blog 
Neither paragraph is well written, especially the second one. The author should go back to PA school and learn how to properly write accurate, active verb press releases. The releasing officer obviously didn’t bother to read it or did and has no business having such authority.
Storis is not in commission yet. Commissioning is expected in August and will take place in Juneau.
https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Assistant-Commandant-for-Acquisitions-CG-9/Newsroom/Latest-Acquisition-News/Article/4206553/coast-guards-newest-icebreaker-storis-departs-on-maiden-voyage/
https://gcaptain.com/u-s-coast-guards-new-icebreaker-uscgc-storis-transits-panama-canal-en-route-to-arctic/
“U.S. Coast Guard’s New Icebreaker USCGC ‘Storis’ Transits Panama Canal en Route to Arctic”
https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4320890/newest-coast-guard-icebreaker-completes-inaugural-patrol/
Oct. 4, 2025
Newest Coast Guard icebreaker completes inaugural patrol
SEATTLE — The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Storis (WAGB 21), the service’s newest commissioned icebreaker, arrived in Seattle Friday after completing its 112-day inaugural patrol.
Storis departed Pascagoula, Mississippi, June 1, transited the Panama Canal and the Pacific Ocean enroute to conduct its first Arctic patrol operating north of the Bering Strait to control, secure, and defend the northern U.S. border and maritime approaches.
Storis operated under the Coast Guard Arctic District, supporting Operation Frontier Sentinel to counter foreign malign influences in or near Alaskan and U.S. Arctic waters.
In early September, Storis entered the ice for the first time as a Coast Guard cutter to relieve Coast Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB 20) and monitor the Chinese-flagged research vessels Jidi and Xue Long 2.
The Arctic is a zone of strategic global competition. Five China-affiliated research vessels operated in the Arctic region over the summer and Storis was one of several Coast Guard assets deployed to the U.S. Arctic to control, secure, and defend U.S. territory and sovereign interests. The Coast Guard is the only U.S. surface presence in the Arctic and works in conjunction with U.S. Northern Command and Alaskan Command to constantly monitor foreign vessels operating in and near U.S. waters in support of U.S. homeland defense and security operations.
Prior to its inaugural patrol, the Coast Guard commissioned Storis in Juneau, Alaska, Aug. 10, and the cutter is the Coast Guard’s first polar icebreaker acquired in over 25 years. Throughout the cutter’s inaugural deployment, the crew conducted helicopter operations, gunnery exercises, established numerous operational and administrative programs, and organized multiple community outreach events throughout six port calls, providing tours to over 1,500 people.
“In the span of a few months, this crew has gained proficiency in the basics of operating the ship and we were ready to challenge ourselves,” said Capt. Corey Kerns, commanding officer of the Storis. “Storis is different than most Coast Guard cutters, and this crew is proud and excited to demonstrate its value to the service and the nation.”
As a medium polar icebreaker, Storis expands the U.S. operational forces available to secure maritime dominance in the Arctic and will support Coast Guard missions while the agency pursues acquisition of additional medium and heavy polar icebreakers.
The U.S. Coast Guard is a central pillar of American national security and power projection. As a military service and law enforcement organization, the Coast Guard faces a unique set of operational challenges and opportunities, necessitating a unique posture for rapid response to a variety of evolving missions with a modernized fleet that supports these requirements. The Coast Guard operates the nation’s fleet of icebreakers to assure access to and protect U.S. sovereign interests in the polar regions. As the nation’s third polar icebreaker in active service, Storis provides near-term operational capabilities and supports national security in the Arctic.
Upon returning to Seattle, Storis will enter a six-week training period where the ship and the crew will undergo major training evolutions, system and program recapitalization, and a two-week underway phase with scheduled engagements in Victoria, Canada.
“We’re excited to return to family and friends and enjoy some of the experiences the Seattle area has to offer,” said Kerns. “It will be great to see the waterfront full of red hulls soon too. But we still have a lot of training to do for our USCG crew to be ready to take full responsibility of the ship and will continue to work closely with our civilian shipmates to get us ready.”
Storis is temporarily berthed in Seattle, alongside the service’s other polar icebreakers, until necessary infrastructure improvements are completed in Juneau where the cutter will be permanently homeported.