The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Storis (WAGB-21) has returned to Seattle after a 112-day inaugural patrol, completing its first deployment as a medium polar icebreaker in the Arctic, the United States Coast Guard said in a statement.
The vessel departed Pascagoula, Mississippi, on June 1, transited the Panama Canal, and operated north of the Bering Strait under the Coast Guard’s Arctic District.
The mission was part of Operation Frontier Sentinel. In early September, Storis entered the ice for the first time, relieving the icebreaker Healy (WAGB-20) and monitoring Chinese-flagged research vessels Jidi and Xue Long 2 operating in the region.
According to the Coast Guard, five China-affiliated research vessels were active in or near U.S. Arctic waters during the summer.
During the deployment, the crew carried out helicopter operations, gunnery exercises, and established new operational and administrative programs. The cutter made six port calls that drew more than 1,500 visitors.
“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, the cutter’s commanding officer. “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.”
Following its return, Storis has begun a six-week training and recapitalization period in Seattle, including system checks, crew certification, and a two-week underway phase with scheduled engagements in Victoria, British Columbia.
The cutter is temporarily berthed alongside the service’s other polar icebreakers and will be homeported in Juneau, Alaska, once infrastructure upgrades are completed.
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the U.S. armed forces and a maritime law enforcement organization operating under the Department of Homeland Security during peacetime. Its duties include maritime safety, security, environmental protection, and icebreaking operations in U.S. and international waters.
