The vessel had to clear U.S. regulatory requirements before continuing on from DutchHarbor, led by the 420-foot Healy, which plowed ahead through about 300 miles of ice.
DutchHarbor saw a revival in popularity with the reality show The Deadliest Catch, but even the high-fiving enthusiasm of the deck hands on the TV show can't match what the town was like in the glory days.
In the first episode of our "Upgrade" series, Motherboard goes to Rotterdam to watch Harada's ragtag team of scientists and engineers as they hustle to assemble the first Protei prototype and dodge the Dutchharbor patrol for their first water test.