U.S., Canada Monitor Chinese Icebreaker in Arctic as It Deploys Dozens of Observation Buoys

A U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker and Canadian warship have spent nearly a month monitoring a Chinese research icebreaker in the Arctic as it conducts an unusually extensive survey operation, including the deployment of more than 30 ice-based buoys across the high Arctic.

The USCGC Storis and Royal Canadian Navy’s HMCS Max Bernayshave closely tracked the Chinese research vessel Xue Long since July, with AIS data showing the American and Canadian ships at times operating only a few nautical miles from the Chinese vessel.

Xue Long departed Dalian in early July, followed several days later by Storis from Seattle. Max Bernays, the