Coast Guard Deploys Icebreakers to New York City

On January 29, 2026 the United States Coast Guard deployed two ice‑breaking vessels—USS Polar Star and USS Nautilus—to the Hudson River in New York City, the first time such ships have been ferried that far south. The operation was prompted by an unprecedented Arctic blast that has slammed the East Coast with the deepest freeze in eight years, threatening to shut down critical transportation routes, including ferry and cargo services. Over 150 million people nationwide are exposed to “life‑threatening” cold, with temperatures dipping below −10 °F in some boroughs. The Coast Guard’s mission was to break ice layers, clear shipping lanes, and safeguard both commercial and recreational traffic through the city’s ports.