By TOMOYUKI YAMAMOTO/ Staff Writer
March 17, 2025 at 07:00 JST
The Japanese icebreaker Soya, known as the “guardian of the northern sea,” will soon be decommissioned after more than 40 years of service.
In its time, the 3,100-ton Japan Coast Guard vessel saved countless lives in icy waters and traveled the rough equivalent of 48 times around the world.
The ship made mincemeat of the shiny white surface it encountered as it plowed through ice floes that stretched as far as the eye could see.
Surprisingly, the vessel hardly shook when it collided with chunks of ice. It was only when it smashed into especially massive blocks that the crashing sounds, along with light vibrations, echoed within the cabin.
Under the ramming method, Soya was designed to climb onto the surface of the northern ice and break it up under the weight of the hull.
To enhance the icebreaker’s strength, the inside of Soya has more rib-like structures than normal vessels. Its rounded, bowl-shaped bottom allows broken ice lumps to flow backward, which improves the hull’s stability.
However, the bowl-shaped bottom also makes Soya prone to swaying in rough waters, particularly in the Sea of Japan.
As of the end of January, Soya had engaged in maritime rescue operations involving a total of 102 ships and 1,467 people.
In 2018, it rescued the crew of a Tanzanian cargo ship trapped in ice off Monbetsu, Hokkaido, by towing it to nearby Wakkanai Port.
After more than 40 years of service, Soya has already begun to show noticeable signs of aging. Due to engine trouble, it was forced to cancel floe monitoring activity slated for the last season.
The veteran patrol ship is scheduled to be replaced by its newly developed successor during fiscal 2025.
“I would like to say thank you for Soya’s long-standing devotion,” said Yasunori Omuro, 59, the vessel’s 26th captain.
Omuro, who currently lives alone in Hokkaido’s Kushiro, having left his family behind at his home in Tanabe, Wakayama Prefecture, revealed some of the secrets of his ship.
“The hull structure of Soya specializes in breaking ice,” he said. “For this reason, it is difficult to handle compared with standard patrol vessels.”
Omuro explained that arriving at or departing from ports and harbors is especially challenging for Soya, as it requires particularly delicate maneuvering.
On the other hand, Soya can navigate ice-filled waters with immense power, far beyond that of ordinary icebreakers in the ice-packed ocean.
“Soya usually displays a difficult and stubborn personality,” Omuro said. “But once it reaches icy waters, the ship emerges as an unparalleled, reliable partner for us.”
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The patrol vessel Soya smashes through sea ice in this shot taken Feb. 22 from a Japan Coast Guard helicopter. (Tomoyuki Yamamoto)
