SEATTLE — The U.S. Coast Guard plans to grow its footprint along the Seattle waterfront, just west of T-Mobile Park and Lumen Field, to make room for a type of polar security base.

As the Northern Hemisphere warms, clearing ice sheets that previously blocked passage through many of the frigid waters, countries across the world are eying the region with increasing interest for scientific research, resource extraction and even a potential food supply.

These shifting geopolitics leave many concerned about America’s waning influence in Arctic waters. Seattle has long been home to the Coast Guard’s major expeditions into the region, serving as the main port for the military branch’s largest icebreaker. But that ship, the cutter Healy, is aging and holds a long and complicated list of responsi

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