USCGC Healy (WAGB-20) is the United States’ largest and most technologically advanced icebreaker. She is classified as a medium icebreaker by the U.S. Coast Guard. She is homeported in Seattle and was commissioned in 1999. Her motto is “Promise and Deliver“. On September 5, 2015, USCGC (United States Coast Guard Cutter) Healy became the first unaccompanied United States surface vessel to reach the North Pole. Healy was built by Avondale Industries in New Orleans. The construction included a technology transfer agreement between Avondale Industries and the Finnish Kværner Masa-Yards Arctic Technology Centre, where the latter provided expertise for hull form development and propulsion line engineering based on the Finnish diesel-electric icebreaker Otso.
Healy is named in honor of United States Revenue Cutter Service Captain Michael A. Healy. Her keel was laid on 16 September 1996. Healy joined the icebreakers USCGC Polar Star (WAGB-10) and USCGC Polar Sea (WAGB-11) in their homeport of Seattle, Washington on 10 November 1999. The ship departed New Orleans on January 26, 2000, performing sea trials off of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and in Baffin Bay between Canada and Greenland. She arrived in Seattle on 9 August 2000 after transiting the famed Northwest Passage and was placed “In Commission, Active” on August 21, 2000.
USCGC Healy is an optimally manned vessel, meaning it has the minimum number of personnel staffed in order to safely navigate. Due to the vast array of missions conducted by Healy, it is vital that crewmembers are fully qualified on a number of duties. Healy operates two A-Frames, one on the aft working deck and one on the starboard side. There are two articulated cranes on the aft working deck, with the starboard side rated to 15 short tons (14 t) and the port side rated to 5 short tons (4.5 t). The aft working deck provides ample space to conduct science and research operations. Healy has a forecastle crane with a load capacity of 3 short tons (2.7 t), and two 04 level cranes with load capacities of 15 tons each. Healy has a Dynamic Positioning System (DPS) that uses its Bow Thruster system, which aids in navigation and station keeping during science operations. Its flight deck is capable of landing both of the Coast Guard’s helicopter airframes, and attached is a hangar that can house 2 HH-65 helicopters. Healy can accommodate 8 ISO vans on the ship, which are used as science labs and workstations. Healy has three small boats on board. One is the 38 ft (12 m) foot Arctic Survey Boat (ASB), which is on the starboard side. Healy has two 26 ft (7.9 m) Cutter Boat Large (CBL) Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIB), one on each side.
Designed to conduct a wide range of research activities, Healy provides more than 4,200 square feet (390 m2) of scientific laboratory space, numerous electronic sensor systems, oceanographicwinches, and accommodations for up to 50 scientists. Healy is also designed to break 4.5 ft (1.4 m) of ice continuously at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph) or ice 10 ft (3.0 m) thick when backing and ramming, and can operate in temperatures as low as −50 °F (−46 °C). As a Coast Guard cutter, Healy is also a platform for supporting other potential missions in the polar regions, including: search and rescue, ship escort, environmental protection, and enforcement of laws and treaties.