NOTN- The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Storis, the Coast Guard’s first polar icebreaker acquired in more than 25 years, will depart Auke Bay on Saturday for its scheduled transit to downtown Juneau, where it will be permanently berthed.
The Storis hosted free public tours Thursday and Friday and will host a media ride-along Saturday.
The Coast Guard will commission this first new icebreaker in 25 years during a ceremony in Juneau on Sunday.
The Coast Guard Cutter Storis will be officially commissioned at 9:30 a.m. at Peratrovich Plaza, 292 Marine Way, the service said. The event will also be streamed online.
Adm. Kevin Lunday, acting commandant of the Coast Guard, is scheduled to attend and take part in a media availability.
The vessel expands America’s operational presence in the Arctic and will support Coast Guard missions while the service awaits the delivery of the Polar Security Cutter class of ships.
It’s the second vessel in Coast Guard history to bear the name Storis. The vessel is manned with a hybrid crew consisting of military and civilian mariners.
The acquisition of the Storis was made possible through the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022 and fiscal year 2024 Congressional appropriations.
The Coast Guard operates more than 250 cutters, 200 aircraft and 1,600 boats to safeguard U.S. ports, waterways and maritime borders.
