PASCAGOULA, Miss. - The U.S. Coast Guard’s newest polar icebreaker is officially operational, which the agency says will bolster its Arctic operations.

The 360-foot-long icebreaker departed from its assembly port in Pascagoula, Mississippi and was headed to Seattle, where it will be based until renovations are completed at its homeport in Juneau, Alaska.

Icebreakers clear passages through icy waterways in both the Arctic and Antarctic, and are known to aid in search and rescue missions as well as support scientific research operations.

Similar-sized ships are known to break up ice that is upwards of 21 feet thick, due to their reinforced hulls and bows, with engines capable of producing a significant amount of horsepower.

"The vessel is manned with a hybrid crew consisting of military

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