cutter – Pacific Maritime Magazine

28 Nov

USCG Cutter Polar Star Heads to Antarctica for Operation Deep Freeze

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newscutter, deepfreeze, polarstar, uscg

The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Polar Star has embarked on its 27th year in support of Operation Deep Freeze, the Guard said Nov. 16. The cutter has left its homeport of Seattle and headed to Antarctica for Deep Freeze, a yearly joint military effort to replenish the U.S. Antarctic stations supporting the National Science Foundation, which is the U.S. Antarctic Program’s lead agency. Every year, the cutter crunches through ice to create a path that enables fuel and supply vessels to access McMurdo Station, the U.S. Antarctic Program’s logistical hub and the biggest Antarctic station. “Operation Deep Freeze is a…

27 Jun

Coast Guard Cutter Intercepts $76+ Million Worth of Cocaine

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The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Alert has offloaded over $76 million of cocaine in San Diego, the Guard announced June 9. The 5,776 pounds of drugs was intercepted during a counternarcotics patrol in international waters off the Central and South America coasts in May. The crew of the 210-foot medium endurance cutter partners with various agencies to combat illegal drug operations, including the Departments of Defense, Justice and Homeland Security. Enforcement in the Eastern Pacific Ocean is done under the authority of the Alameda, Calif.-based Eleventh Coast Guard District. Rear Adm. Andrew Sugimoto, commander of the Coast Guard 11th District,…

21 Mar

Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast Returns Following Drug Patrol

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After 69 days in the Eastern Pacific Ocean providing anti-narcotics enforcement, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Steadfast has returned to its homeport in Astoria, Oregon, it was announced March 16. During the patrol, crew members of the 210-foot medium endurance cutter interrupted drug activity in three instances, preventing the flow of over 7,500 pounds of cocaine worth $85.6 million from reaching the U.S., the Coast Guard said. In one instance, the crew traced a suspected narcotics-smuggling ship with help from a Mexican Navy surveillance aircraft and aircrew and sent a boat crew and helicopter aircrew while Mexican forces tracked it,…

14 Mar

Coast Guard Cutter Munro Returns from Alaska Patrol

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After 105 days, the crew members of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro have returned to their Alameda homeport after a 10,000-nautical mile patrol in Alaska, the agency announced March 8. During the patrol, crew members of the 418-feet long Legend-class national security cutter joined forces with the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement on two dozen commercial fishing vessel boardings as part of efforts to ensure sustainable fishing practices and federal compliance, the agency said. “The continued existence of these fisheries depends on a healthy and productive ecosystem,” Capt. Rula Deisher, Munro’s commanding officer, said. “As a federal law enforcement…

21 Feb

USCG Cutter Kimball Completes Training Exercises with Japan Coast Guard

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Honolulu-homeported U.S. Coast Guard cutter Kimball has left Kagoshima, Japan after participating in a days-long joint training exercise with the Japan Coast Guard, U.S. officials said Feb. 16. Members from both agencies engaged in several search-and-rescue exercises and other activities in Kagoshima Bay, including “collaborative mission planning, boat handling and helicopter operations, and demonstrated techniques for locating, recovering and hoisting a simulated distressed swimmer.” The U.S. Coast Guard command also visited the Japan Coast Guard’s 10th Regional Headquarters and gave tours of the cutter to several Japan Coast Guard members and the community. The events nurture the newly inked memorandum of cooperation…

06 Dec

USCG Cutter Bertholf Returns from 77-Day Patrol

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After more than 18,000 nautical miles and 77 days on patrol, the crew of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Bertholf returned to Alameda, Calif. from a trek through the Eastern Pacific Ocean, the Guard announced Dec. 3. During that time, the 418-foot Legend-class national security cutter engaged in drug enforcement, including the boardings of several suspected drug-smuggling vessels that resulted in detaining a number of suspected drug smugglers and the interdiction of over 1,050 pounds of cocaine, according to the Coast Guard. This was done while providing enforcement off the Central and South America coasts in support of Joint Interagency…

01 Nov

USCG Cutter Kimball Returns to Honolulu

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The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Kimball returned to its homeport of Honolulu on Oct. 28 after participating in search and rescue activities and did patrols in fisheries enforcement in the Bering and Chukchi Seas and netted the vessel’s first Coast Guard Arctic Service Medal. The medal is awarded to any member of the United States Coast Guard who performs 21 days of non-consecutive duty afloat or ashore north of the Arctic Circle. While traveling more than 100 days and 22,000 miles, the crew came across Russian and Chinese naval vessels in the Bering Sea. “The formation, which was transiting through…

25 Oct

USCG Cutter Alert Returns From Eastern Pacific Ocean Patrol

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After 68 days patrolling the Eastern Pacific Ocean, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Alert (WMEC 630) returned to its Astoria, Oregon, homeport on Oct. 8. During that time, crew members of the 210-foot medium endurance cutter traveled more than 13,700 nautical miles from Oregon to Columbia, providing law enforcement support for various initiatives, including counter-drug missions, search-and-rescue operations and international law enforcement training engagements, according to the Coast Guard. Crew members also approached three Costa Rican fishing vessels and seized 1,440 pounds of marijuana worth $1.4 million. “Furthermore, during the boarding of the fishing vessel Mujer Gitana, Alert’s crew detected…

18 Oct

U.S., Canadian Coast Guards Participate in Joint Alaska Exercise

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The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Stratton and Canadian Coast Guard ship Sir Wilfrid Laurier took part in a search-and-rescue exercise Oct. 12 near Point Hope, Alaska. Both crews practiced maneuvers with an unmanned craft that simulated being a ship in need of help, complete with an imitation distress call, according to the Coast Guard. Sir Wilfrid Laurier responded to the call and alerted USCG’s District 17 Command Center, and Stratton, a 418-foot national security cutter, used an aerial drone to find the “distressed” vessel, which was recovered. “Exercises such as this help strengthen our international partnerships and increase our emergency…

11 Oct

USCG Cutter Steadfast Returns to Astoria, Oregon

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After 55 days on narcotics enforcement patrol, the crew members of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Steadfast returned to Astoria, Oregon on Oct. 7. The 210-foot medium endurance cutter traveled over 11,000 miles between Oregon and Central America, doing training, law enforcement, search and rescue and helicopter operations in international waters, the agency said. The crew was deployed with Maintenance Augmentation Team Seattle, Electronic Support Detachment Petaluma and cutter Argus, which is expected to be commissioned soon. During their tour, Steadfast crew members pursued a high-speed, panga-style vessel suspected of smuggling contraband before handing off the case to a partner…