The public is invited to attend the Christening and Launching Ceremony for the Icebreaker MACKINAW (WLBB–30) at Marinette Marine on Saturday, April 2, 2004. Mrs. Jean Hastert, will serve as the ship’s sponsor and will christen the vessel as Coast Guard Cutter MACKINAW by breaking a bottle of champagne across its bow when it is launched from the Marinette shipyard. Her Husband, Speaker of the U. S. House of Representatives J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL), will be the keynote speaker at the ceremony.

The Coast Guard is charged with maintaining a heavy icebreaking capability on the Great Lakes. This capability includes keeping channels and harbors open to navigation in response to the reasonable demands of commerce to meet winter shipping needs. Since 1944 that mission has been performed by USCGC MACKINAW (WAGB-83). The new Coast Guard Icebreaker, which is also to be named MACKINAW, will relieve her namesake of that mission once she is commissioned. The new Coast Guard Icebreaker MACKINAW (WLBB-30) will have multi-mission capabilities in addition to heavy icebreaking that include; servicing buoys, search and rescue, and law enforcement.

With a crew of eight officers and 38 enlisted personnel, the icebreaker is scheduled to be delivered to the Coast Guard October 15th and should arrive in Cheboygan, MI, the cutter’s homeport, later in the year. The new icebreaker is powered by three Caterpillar diesel engines enabling it to break through 32 inches of level ice at three knots. Twin Azipod™ Propulsion Units with fixed pitch propellers and a Bow Thruster will propel the ship, providing unparalleled maneuverability. In order to fulfill it’s buoy tending mission, the ship has a 20 ton Appleton Crane for lifting and servicing aids to navigation. In addition, it is equipped with an oil spill recovery system and some of the latest technology that includes state of the art navigation, communication and security systems.

The Marinette Marine Corporation shipyard, located on the Menominee River in Marinette, WI will open at 9 a.m. Central Standard Time. The launch ceremony will begin at 10 a.m.

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