Coast Guard Mackinaw takes an old name and a new approach to icebreaking

摘要

The U.S. Coast Guard's newest ship on the Great Lakes is an icebreaker propelled by azipods designed in Finland. Azipod technology makes Mackinaw (WLBB 30) highly maneuverable. Because the pods eliminate the need for rudders, the ship is especially well suited for icebreaking. Mackinaw will serve the Great Lakes from its home port in Cheboygan, Mich. The new 240-foot icebreaker replaces an aging 290-foot cutter of the same name that was built in 1941.