Coast Guard cutter for breaking ice on the Connecticut River

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NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Soon, a coast guard The icebreaker will work to break up ice on the Connecticut River to keep the shipping channel clear between Old Saybrook and Hartford.

Icebreaking is an annual practice. The goal is to make it possible to deliver heating oil to tanks in the Hartford area, among other supplies.

“Of the fuel oil used nationwide, more than 85% is consumed in the Northeast, and 90% is delivered to a Coast Guard-maintained waterway by vessel,” the Coast Guard said in a statement.

RELATED: Coast Guard works to break through ice jams on Connecticut River

The Coast Guard Cutter based in New Haven Bollard, which is over 50 years old, is also replacing navigational aids with special ice buoys designed to roll under the ice and stay in place.

In 2018, the weather was so cold that the ship struggled through ice jams.

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At the time, U.S. Coast Guard firefighter Jeff Predella said, “We sat here for about two weeks straight trying to get it, we were draining everything and the next day everything would freeze.”

RELATED: Coast Guard Crew Breaks Ice on Connecticut River

Flood prevention is another objective of the actions. Ice can block water flow, sending the river over its banks to flood low areas.

Doug Stewart is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at [email protected].

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