USCGC Polar Star (WAGB-10)
USCGC Polar Star
The polar - class is a class of icebreakers the United States Coast Guard. The two ships of the class, the USCGC Polar Star ( WAGB -10) and the USCGC Polar Sea ( WAGB -11) were completed by the Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company in 1976 and 1977. Both ships are operating from its home port of Seattle in the Pacific.
Ship Technology
Machinery and drive
The ships of Polar Class are considered the most powerful, non- nuclear-powered icebreaker in the world (as of 2014). The drive is diesel-electric six diesel engines of the type ALCo 16V251F whose output could be increased by a modernization in 2006, each 2,250 kW to 2,590 kW. Alternatively, the ships can be driven at high power requirements over three Pratt & Whitney FT- 4A12 - gas turbines each with 18,750 kW.
Use
The ships can continuously break through at a speed of three knots up to 1.80 m thick ice and displace in pieces even ice until about six meters thick. The ships were built before the introduction of the IACS Polar Class and subject there approximately in the range of classes PC2/PC3.