Back from “Deep Freeze”

 

The U.S.-flagged cargo ship Ocean Giant returned to Port Hueneme, California on March 12, completing a more than 6,000 nautical mile journey from New Zealand. It was the final leg of her annual deployment to Antarctica as part of the resupply mission known as Operation Deep Freeze.

The vessel left California in late December carrying 327 containers of dry cargo as well as a temporary floating Marine Causeway System for the U.S. base McMurdo Station in Antarctica. Operation command highlights the vessel along with a second ship, Ocean Gladiator, transport about 80 percent of the items needed for survival over the severe Antarctic winter when the station is cut off from the rest of the world. The supply mission was started in 1955 and conducted each year time for access to the base.

Ocean Giant first traveled to the U.S. support base in Lyttelton, New Zealand where it resupplied and took on additional cargo bound for McMurdo Station. When it reached its destination teams first had to deploy the causeway system which was used to replace the traditional ice pier which had been deemed unusable this year.

In total, 380 pieces of cargo, which included containers filled with mechanical parts, vehicles, construction materials, office supplies, and electronics equipment were offloaded from Ocean Giant in the Antarctic. The ship then loads station waste and recyclables and other materials for transport back to California. It made a resupply stop in New Zealand, departing on February 19 for California. It will now offload the materials brought back from Antarctica to complete the annual mission. 

The second vessel, Ocean Gladiator, followed the same route arriving in Antarctica at the station on February 20 delivering a further 321 pieces of cargo. She was carrying containers filled with mechanical parts, vehicles, construction materials including cement pilings for a pier project, food, electronics equipment, and comfort items for the teams at McMurdo Station. 

Ocean Gladiator departed Lyttelton, New Zealand yesterday, March 13. Her AIS signal shows she is bound for Yokohama, Japan.

The mission concluded for this year at the beginning of March. The icebreaker Polar Star departed McMurdo after having assisted the two cargo ships and conducting other assignments. It marked her 49th year of service.

The Military Sealift Command reports planning will begin for the next Operation Deep Freeze. The chartered ship will again depart in December 2025 to support operations in Antarctica.