MarineLog is reporting that Fincantieri, owner of Marinette Marine Corporation in the US (which built the USCGC Macinaw (WLBB-30) is building an icebreaking research ship for Norway.
“The project, promoted by the Norwegian government, has a total value of about 175 million euro.
That is about a quarter the cost of the projected Polar Icebreaker and even less than the cost of the OPCs. With its small crew it should also be inexpensive to operate.
“With a gross tonnage of 9,000 tonnes, a length of over 100 metres and a breadth of 21 metres, the vessel will be able to accommodate 55 persons in 38 cabins – research personnel, students and crew – and will be fitted out with the highest standards of comfort for passenger ships. On the bow, its hangar will be able to accommodate two helicopters (emphasis added–Chuck) and will be equipped with complex instrumentation able to investigate the morphology and geology of the seabed.”
This is smaller than our Polar class but still a very useful size, larger than the Wind Class, about the size of the USCGC Glacier (WAGB-4).
It might be a good basis for the two additional medium icebreakers we need.
