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SHIRASE 5002

船橋市, Japan

SHIRASE 5002

Shirase (しらせ; Hull number: AGB-5002) was a Japanese icebreaker operated by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and Japan's third icebreaker for Antarctic expeditions. Her successor (AGB-5003) has the same name. She was decommissioned in July 2008, and is expected to be revived under a new

owner as a facility for observation and exhibition regarding weather and environment. She was launched in December 1981, and was commissioned in November 1982 to succeed to Fuji (AGB-5001). Since November 1983, she served in 25 Antarctic expeditions. She was able to move at 3 knots breaking 1.5 meters of ice. In 2008, the government began to invite public contribution of plans to utilize this ship after the scheduled retirement. As to the first invitation, however, none of the plans was adopted mainly due to prime cost and problem on securing safety. In October 2008, after the retirement, the government once decided to scrap this ship. Nevertheless, there were requests of preserving Shirase sent to the authority, even from ordinary people who were not engaged in the Antarctic project. And, the mean price of iron scrap was declining since the summer of 2008. In 2009, the government again accepted...

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