First solo ship reaches North Pole

The US Coast Guard Cutter Healy has become the first American surface ship that has reached the North Pole unaccompanied. Generally, submarines beneath the ice accompany the surface ships. The ship reached the North Pole on September 5.

According to the Coast Guard, "As the Arctic region continues to open up to development, the data gathered on board Healy during this cruise will become ever more essential to understanding how the scientific processes of the Arctic work, and how to most responsibly exercise stewardship over the region".

On August 9, Healy cruised out of Dutch Harbor and after that moved with more than 100 crewmembers and scientists on board for international study (GEOTRACES) of the geochemistry of oceans of the world.

Healy came across ice as much as ten feet thick; however, was able to get the team to the "top of the world" that too one week prior to schedule.

It is for the fourth time when a US surface vessel has reached the North Pole, and is the first since 2005. The 420 ft, 16,000 ton Healy ship has been used in three voyages out of four. The ship’s 30,000-horsepower engine can break over 10 feet of ice.

The voyage was sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The voyage is intended to take baseline measurements of the ice, air, water, and other variables of the environment in the Arctic Ocean. It was related to the tourist and petrochemical development of the Arctic under way.