Russian ship to pump fuel to ice-bound Alaska port

[FarCenter]

A Russian ship carrying vital fuel to a remote Alaskan port could finally deliver its load Saturday after battling through some 300 miles (480 km) of Arctic ice, the US Coast Guard said.

Helped by a US Coast Guard ice-breaker, the Russian tanker Renda was within seven miles of the port of Nome by late Friday, but was proceeding very cautiously for its final approach.

"They're trying to identify the best course and the best place to navigate into so that the Renda can get as close as possible but that she'll also be able to leave at the end of this," said spokeswoman Veronica Colbath.

"We're almost there but we're not completely there yet, and there's still a lot of moving parts to this operation," she told AFP, adding that the Russian tanker has about a mile of hose on board for the delicate operation.

http://www.france24.com/en/20120114-russian-ship-pump-fuel-ice-bound-alaska-port

[riderinthestorm]

1. The US Coast Guard ice breaker boat captain is a woman

I've actually been really fascinated by this story as the two ships have been making their tortuous way through the ice. They interviewed the female Coast Guard captain on NPR and it's just a great story.

The Coast Guard boat was actually on it's way home, to arrive in time for the holidays, when the request came through. The Captain immediately agreed to do it even though it meant that the crew wouldn't get home for the holidays - they haven't been home for 8 months now!!

Just great cooperation, the US Coast Guard, a Russian tanker, the citizens of Nome are frantically building a receiving dock for the oil on their end as they've NEVER had a delivery there before. It's like a teevee movie except it's real!!

[FarCenter]

2. The Healy was the only available Coast Guard icebreaker

In 2011, the ship was in the middle of a seven-month science cruise in the Arctic Ocean conducting scientific operations. Due to the other U.S. ice breakers being either in repair (Polar Star) or in the process of being decommissioned (Polar Sea), the Healy is the only active large ice breaker in the Coast Guard's fleet. The commanding officer is Captain Beverly Havlik. Captain Havlik assumed command of Healy in May, 2011.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USCGC_Healy_(WAGB-20)