CGAS Kodiak
The Coast Guard Cutter Douglas Munro (WHEC 724) is moored at the cutter’s homeport of Kodiak, Alaksa, April 24, 2021. The Douglas Munro was decommissioned during a ceremony following 49-years of service to our nation. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Matt Masaschi
Another investment in infrastructure. Below is a CG HQ news release.
Coast Guard awards $315 million contract to modernize fuel pier, utilities at Base Kodiak
WASHINGTON – The Coast Guard awarded a $315 million contract Sept. 11 to Tutor Perini Corp. to design and construct a new fuel pier and major cutter mooring at Base Kodiak, strengthening shore infrastructure to support Coast Guard operations in Alaska and the Arctic.
The project will deliver a new fuel pier capable of receiving fuel deliveries and providing up to two major cutter berths. Work is expected to be completed in the fall 2030.
“This contract represents a major investment in the infrastructure that supports Coast Guard crews and families in Alaska,” said Adm. Kevin Lunday, Commandant of the Coast Guard. “Modernizing Base Kodiak’s waterfront delivers the capabilities we need to be ready and carry out the missions to secure our northern border and maritime approaches in the Arctic.”
The project includes:
- Waterfront improvements, including grading work to improve ground stability;
- Construction of a new fueling utility building;
- Installation of utilities, cutter shore ties and other site amenities, including information technology, water and sewage connections, and safety equipment; and
- Unexploded ordnance removal.
The work is funded through a combination of sources, including the 2022 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Fiscal Year 2023 Major Acquisition Systems Infrastructure and Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Reconciliation funding.
The Coast Guard is leveraging historic investments to deliver shore facilities and infrastructure that support the full scope of Coast Guard missions.
For media inquiries contact mediarelations@uscg.mil.
The WTGB recap process is starting soon. This would be a good time to not just build some new Great Lakes escort boats but something really special. If these boats are equipped with twin ice-rated azimuthing drives and some industry standard equipment we could get a great Lakes and NE coastal breaker but with careful design it could become a suitable platform for AK and seasonal Greenland use. With a little tweaking the design could break 3 feet of ice at 1-3 knots all day. A properly designed small ship could work north of the Bering Strait during the navigation season and help extend the shipping season for ports like Nome in AK that often get closed early for ice. By incorporating an ant-roll tank, aft and forward tow assist winch (to use with the existing ATON barges or rescue), and FRC class electronics this would be a unit that could recover fishing vessels and patrol with much longer legs than the FRC. It wouldn’t be fast but it could free up expensive WMSLs from shadowing Chinese research ships. With the improvements at Kodiak these ships could easily be accommodated. There is already a program of record for 11 WTGB replacements, adding 5 more units would make a huge difference for AK and the bases that are being talked about for Greenland. Station 3 in AK and 2 in the Northeast that can patrol around Greenland and the far north during summer. Obviously these aren’t going to replace the ASC but it can do things the ASC can’t or is too expensive for.
Now is the time for HQ to be considering these things before the design process gets farther along.
I would love to hear from the group.