DULUTH, Minn. – The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Spar has begun its transit to its new homeport in Duluth after a year-long maintenance period in Baltimore.
Spar, a 225’ buoy tender, and her crew will sail from Baltimore then through the St. Lawrence Seaway and across the Great Lakes to its homeport in Duluth.
Upon arriving in Duluth, Spar’s crew will assume CGC Alder’s area of responsibility and continue maintaining aids to navigation, domestic icebreaking, search and rescue and law enforcement.
Spar, originally home-ported in Kodiak, Alaska, was commissioned in August 2001. She maintained aids to navigation along the Aleutian Islands and the Bering Sea until the fall of 2020, when she departed for the Coast Guard Yard for maintenance.
Throughout the Coast Guard, the 225’ Juniper class buoy tenders are undergoing Midlife Maintenance Availability, during which critical ship systems are evaluated and extensive repairs are made. The ships, which have been managing the Nation’s extensive maritime infrastructure, are expected to continue to service aids to navigation for many years to come.
For more information, please contact Petty Officer 3rd Class Gregory Schell, Ninth Coast Guard District Public Affairs, at (216) 213-0843.
