US President Donald Trump has signed into law a bill passed by both Houses of Congress calling for the appropriation of funds for a new heavy polar icebreaker for the US Coast Guard (USCG).
The appropriations package, which also covers the long lead-time acquisition of materials for other future USCG vessels, will allocate US$655 million for the design and construction of the first Polar Security Cutter (PSC).
The new icebreaker will help the USCG strengthen its capability to safeguard Arctic waters by preventing and intercepting illegal activity and by carrying out search and rescue (SAR) missions, said US Senator from Alaska Lisa Murkowski, one of the authors of the bill.