ARCTIC TRAFFICABILITY PROGRAM—A REVIEW

• Published in: Naval Engineers Journal
• Main Authors: VOELKER, RICHARD, GLEN, I. F., SEIBOLD, FREDERICK, BAYLY, I.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1984
• Subjects: Arctic; Midwinter; Alaska
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-3584.1984.tb01826.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1559-3584.1984.tb01826.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1559-3584.1984.tb01826.x

ABSTRACT This paper describes a multiyear program to make an operational assessment on the feasibility of a year‐round Arctic marine transportation system to serve Alaska. Specifically, the three objectives were to: collect meteorological and ice data along potential marine routes; instrument the hull and propulsion machinery to improve design critera for ice‐worthy ships; and demonstrate that ships can operate in midwinter Alaskan Arctic ice conditions. The U.S. Coast Guard's Polar class icebreakers were used to make the operational assessment by annually extending the route northward and by operating throughout the winter season. This paper reviews some of the operational and technical achievements to date, as well as plans for future Arctic deployments.