The 140-foot ice-breaking tug Thunder Bay augmented the USCG fleet on the Great Lakes during Operation Taconite, a major Great Lakes ice-breaking operation this ice season. The crew participated alongside other Coast Guard icebreakers in operations that facilitated the safe navigation of vessels and cleared paths for more than 67 commercial freighters. The cutter spent more than 175 hours breaking Great Lakes ice, keeping tracks and channels open for navigation. The crew spent 11 hours in direct support of five vessels beset by ice.