gCaptain reports:

“The U.S. Coast Guard’s troubled Polar Security Cutter program faces further delays with a new government watchdog report projecting delivery of the first heavy icebreaker in March 2033, almost a decade later than originally planned.

“The recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report also raises fresh doubts that even the revised schedule can be met, citing unresolved construction risks, a planned 40% expansion of the shipyard workforce, and the lack of a fully validated production schedule.”

The good news,

“While the heavy icebreaker program continues to slip, the Coast Guard has made faster progress on its separate Arctic Security Cutter program. The first four medium icebreakers will be built in Finland, with deliveries scheduled to begin in late 2028. Those vessels are expected to provide a significant boost to U.S. polar capabilities several years before the first Polar Security Cutter is now expected to enter service.”