The Canadian Coast Guard has begun operating a rebuilt icebreaker that had originally been completed for towage duties in the Caspian Sea off Kazakhstan.
The 2010-built icebreaking tug formerly known as Mangystau-2 is now operating as CCGS Judy LaMarsh in Canadian service. The new name was chosen to honour the late Julia Verlyn "Judy" LaMarsh, a former lawyer and author who later became a Canadian federal Cabinet Minister.
Judy LaMarsh is the fourth interim icebreaker purchased by the Canadian Coast Guard, following the prior purchase of three medium interim icebreakers. These vessels were acquired to supplement the existing fleet during vessel life extension and repair periods.
The coast guard acquired the vessel from Canadian company Atlantic Towing, which had earlier acquired it from Kazakh operator Caspian Offshore Construction in 2021.
Design and conversion work was undertaken at the coast guard's Prescott Base in Ontario to ensure compliance to Canadian flag regulations, though the vessel's hull retains its durability exceeding ice class 1A Super requirements.
In addition to icebreaking, Judy LaMarsh's duties include search and rescue, general emergency response operations, and maintenance of navigational buoys in the Great Lakes, St Lawrence, and Atlantic regions.
The vessel can also support scientific research missions in the Great Lakes.
Although Judy LaMarsh was originally scheduled to enter service with the Canadian Coast Guard in 2023, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) indicated that additional conversion and refit work still needed to be undertaken on the vessel. PSPC said these additional works were finally completed in 2025.
