Sullivan supports effort to buy, convert icebreaker

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan said legislation pending in Congress calls for $150 million for the Coast Guard to buy and convert an icebreaker, which he said was an opportunity to fill a gap while new icebreakers are being built.

Sullivan in a teleconference with reporters Wednesday highlighted provisions that affect Alaska in several bills that are pending in the last weeks of the congressional term.

The Republican said legislation calls for $150 million for the Coast Guard to buy and convert a “commercially available” icebreaker. He said he raised the idea of going this route with the Trump administration and that the Biden administration was supportive.

Sullivan said an aim with the package is also to provide “relief” from procurement rules for the Coast Guard. While it could take up to six years to buy a commercially available vessel, “we think that could be brought down to almost one year,” he said. Sullivan said he is pressing for the vessel to be homeported in Juneau.

Sullivan said there are two icebreakers and that he and Alaska’s senior senator, Republican Lisa Murkowski, have pushed for years for new icebreakers to be built. He lamented the time it’s taking for that to happen.