The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Alder is undergoing 10 weeks of routine repairs and maintenance in dry dock at Fraser Shipyards.
It's the first time the Alder has had such dry dock work since it was commissioned in 2004.
"Every so often they'll pull a Coast Guard cutter out of the water, sandblast the bottom and redo the bottom paint," said Lt. j.g. Kenny Pepper, the Alder's operations officer. "There is a whole list of scheduled work items that is being performed by Fraser."
Major projects include examining the ship's control-pitch propeller, bow thruster and stern thruster; rerouting a water system; examining tanks; painting the hull above and below the waterline; and restoring its non-skid decking.
The $520,328 contract for the work was awarded to Fraser on May 15. The Alder entered dry dock on June 9. It is scheduled to remain in dry dock until August 17, Pepper said.
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The 225-foot long, 2,000 ton (fully loaded) Alder was built by Marinette Marine Corp., of Marinette, Wis., in 2004. It arrived in its home port of Duluth on Oct. 16, 2004.
