International Ice Patrol

Since 1914 the International Ice Patrol has been monitoring the presence of icebergs in the northern Atlantic Ocean and reports their movements for safety purposes. It was established in response to the sinking of the RMS "Titanic". According to the Patrol's Deputy Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander Gabrielle McGrath, "The primary mission of the Ice Patrol is to alert any seacraft traveling the great circle shipping lanes between Europe and the major ports of the United States and Canada of the presence of any icebergs there." [A.J. Panian. “Yough graduate steps into titanic role”. Pittsburgh "Tribune Review", 4 Sep 2007. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_525593.html, accessed 19 Sep 2007.]

Founding

From the earliest journeys into the North Atlantic, icebergs have threatened vessels. A review of the history of navigation prior to the turn of the century shows an impressive number of casualties occurred in the vicinity of the Grand Banks. For example, the "Lady of the Lake" sank in 1833 with a loss of 70. Between 1882 and 1890, 14 vessels were lost and 40 seriously damaged due to ice. This does not include the large number of whaling and fishing vessels lost or damaged by ice. It took one of the greatest marine disasters of all times to arouse public demand for international cooperative action to deal with this marine hazard. This disaster, the sinking of the RMS "Titanic" on April 15, 1912, was the prime impetus for the establishment of the International Ice Patrol.

On her maiden voyage from Southampton, England bound for New York, "Titanic" collided with an iceberg just south of the tail of the Grand Banks and sank within two and a half hours. The loss of life was enormous with more than 1,500 of the 2,224 passengers and crew perishing. "Titanic", the brand new flagship of the White Star Line, was the largest passenger liner of its time displacing 66,000 tons and capable of sustained speed in excess of convert|22|kn|km/h|0. Loss of "Titanic" gripped the world with a chilling awareness of an iceberg's potential for tragedy. The sheer dimensions of the "Titanic" disaster created sufficient public reaction on both sides of the Atlantic to prod reluctant governments into action, producing the first Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) convention in 1914.

After the "Titanic" disaster, the U.S. Navy assigned the Scout Cruisers "Chester" and USS Birmingham (CL-2) to patrol the Grand Banks for the remainder of 1912. In 1913, the Navy could not spare ships for this purpose, so the Revenue Cutter Service (forerunner of the United States Coast Guard) assumed responsibility, assigning the Cutters "Seneca" and "Miami" to conduct the patrol.

At the first International Conference on the Safety of Life at Sea, which was convened in London on November 12, 1913, the subject of patrolling the ice regions was thoroughly discussed. The convention signed on January 30, 1914, by the representatives of the world's various maritime powers, provided for the inauguration of an international derelict-destruction, ice observation, and ice patrol service, consisting of vessels, which should patrol the ice regions during the season of iceberg danger and attempt to keep the trans-Atlantic lanes clear of derelicts during the remainder of the year. Due primarily to the experience gained in 1912 and 1913, the United States Government was invited to undertake the management of the triple service, the expense to be defrayed by the 13 nations interested in trans-Atlantic navigation.

The second International Conference on Safety of Life at Sea was convened in London on April 16, 1929. Eighteen nations participated, all of which signed the final act on May 31, 1929. Because of the fear in the United States Senate as a result of ambiguities in Article 54 dealing with control, the 1929 convention was not ratified by the United States until August 7, 1936, and even then the ratification was accompanied by three reservations. At the same time, Congress enacted legislation on June 25, 1936, formally requiring the Commandant of the Coast Guard to administer the International Ice Observation and Ice Patrol Service (Chap. 807, para. 2 49 USC 1922) and describing in general fashion the manner in which this service was to be performed. With only minor changes, this remains today as the basic Coast Guard authority to operated the International Ice Patrol. Since 1929, there have been three SOLAS conventions (1948, 1960 & 1974). None of these have recommended any basic change affecting the Ice Patrol.

The thirteen nations signatory to the 1915 SOLAS Convention agreed to share costs in accordance with a formula approximating their degree of individual benefit. This sharing arrangement has been updated over the years as shipping patterns changed and as additional nations acceded to the treaty. Financial relations are handled by the Department of State which does the actual billing of each nation for its share of the cost. In the early days this share was a fixed percentage changed infrequently by treaty revision. In recent years, the cost share has been based on each participating nations percentage of the total cargo tonnage transiting the patrol area during the ice season. [U.S. Coast Guard "Enlisted-Professional Military Education Study Guide, Requirement 3-5.02-K"]

Administration

Headquarters for the International Ice Patrol is located at the University of Connecticut's Avery Point campus in Groton. [A.J. Panian, 2007, op.cit.]

From its inception until the beginning of World War II, the Ice Patrol was conducted from two surface patrol cutters alternating surveillance patrols of the southern ice limits. In 1931 and thereafter a third ship was assigned to Ice Patrol to perform oceanographic observations in the vicinity of the Grand Banks. After World War II, aerial surveillance became the primary ice reconnaissance method with surface patrols phased out except during unusually heavy ice years or extended periods of reduced visibility. Use of the oceanographic vessel continued until 1982, when the Coast Guard's sole remaining oceanographic ship, USCGC Evergreen, was converted to a medium endurance cutter. The aircraft has distinct advantages for ice reconnaissance providing much greater coverage in a relatively short period of time.

From 1946 until 1966, the Ice Patrol offices, operations center and reconnaissance aircraft were based at the Coast Guard Air Detachment Argentia, Newfoundland during the ice season.

Due to changing operational commitments and financial constraints the Coast Guard Argentia Air Detachment closed in 1966. Ice Patrol headquarters and operations center moved to Governors Island, New YorkOsmer, Stephen R., LTJG USCG "The Aerial Ice Patrol: No More "Titanics"s" "United States Naval Institute Proceedings" March 1976 pp. 103-104] where they remained until October 1983. Today the International Ice Patrol is located at the Coast Guard Research and Development Center in Groton, Connecticut. The ice reconnaissance detachment, usually comprised of 11 aircrew and 4 ice observers flying in a HC-130 aircraft, continues to work out of Newfoundland.

Aviation History of the International Ice Patrol

* 6 February 1946 - A PBY-5A makes the first International Ice Patrol reconnaissance flight.
* 24 February 1946 - Two PB4Y-1s arrive in Argentia, Newfoundland to become the first dedicated Ice Patrol aircraft.
* 1947 - The PB1G becomes the Ice Patrol aircraft.
* 1948 - Camera-equipped PB1G begins an iceberg census off Baffin Island completed in 1949.
* 1949 - Aircraft become the sole reconnaissance tools for the first time.
* 1956 - Unsuccessful tests to identify icebergs by marking with dye markers, commercial dye, and used motor oil.
* 1958 - Last ice patrol by a PB1G.
* 1959 - R5Ds replace PB1Gs.
* June 1959 - Unsuccessful iceberg demolition experiments with magnesium and thermite incendiary bombs.
* May 1960 - Unsuccessful iceberg demolition experiments dropping high-explosive bombs from UF2G.
* 24 May 1962 - First Ice Patrol by HC-130B.
* 1963 - R5Ds replaced by Doppler Navigation System equipped HC-130Bs.
* 1964 - First successful use of Airborne radiation thermometer to detect changes in surface water temperature.
* 1967 - First use of microwave radiometer to differentiate RADAR contacts as ship or iceberg.
* 30 April 1970 - The ice reconnaissance detachment moved from Argentia to CFB Summerside in Prince Edward Island.
* 1971 - Side-looking airborne RADAR evaluation began.
* 1973 - Inertial Navigation System installed on Ice Patrol aircraft.
* 1973 - The ice reconnaissance detachment moved to St. John's, Newfoundland.
* 1982 - The ice reconnaissance detachment relocated to Gander, Newfoundland.
* 1989 - The ice reconnaissance detachment moved back to St. John's, Newfoundland.

Command

The current commander of the IIP is Commander Scott Rogerson.

On July 13, 2007, Lieutenant Commander Gabrielle McGrath relieved Lt. Cmdr. Byron Willeford as Executive Officer. Lt. Cmdr. McGrath is the first woman to serve in this position. [Grogan, Jennifer. "Woman Breaks The Ice For Coast Guard Patrol." "The Day", Connecticut. Referenced 7-13-2007. http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=a80dcd0c-bddc-4fb5-b92f-9b7d925568ba]

Funding

It receives funding of around US$5.9 million from the following governments:
*Belgium
*Canada
*Denmark
*Finland
*France
*Germany
*Greece
*Italy
*Japan
*Netherlands
*Norway
*Panama
*Poland
*Spain
*Sweden
*United Kingdom
*United States of America(As of 1998)

References

External links

* [http://www.uscg.mil/lantarea/iip/default.asp United States Coast Guard International Ice Patrol Site]
* [http://www.uscg-iip.org Official International Ice Patrol Site]
* [http://www.uscg-iip.org/FAQ/Org_6.shtml Paper on the Patrol's Economic Value]