Military Sealift Command is Wrapping Up 2025 Supply Mission to Antarctica

 

The chartered general cargo ship Ocean Gladiator (17,700 dwt) arrived last week at the U.S.’s McMurdo Station, Antarctica in support of the annual resupply mission Operation Deep Freeze (ODF) 2025. The Military Sealift Command highlights the critical nature of the mission which has been conducted annually for the past 70 years since 1955 when the resupply mission was established.

The cargo ship which was built in 2010 and currently operates as part of Seabulk and its new joint venture with Crowley known as Fairwater is completing its portion of the annual effort. The ship is delivering 321 pieces of cargo, consisting of containers filled with mechanical parts, vehicles, construction materials including cement pilings for a pier project, food, electronics equipment, and comfort items; supplies needed to sustain the next year of operations at McMurdo Station, Antarctica.

She followed her running mate Ocean Giant which conducted the first portion of the mission. Only one of the ships at a time can be at the station. Ocean Giant arrived at the base on January 26 and completed her portion of the mission on February 11. She made a stop at Lyttelton, New Zealand, and is currently on her return trip to Hueneme, California where she is due in mid-March.

Following the offload, Ocean Gladiator will be loaded with 149 containers of retrograde cargo for transportation off the continent. This includes trash and recyclable materials for disposal and equipment no longer required on the station, as well as the 65-ton floating Modular Causeway System, which was used this year in place of the ice-pier for cargo operations. 

Before departing McMurdo station, Ocean Gladiator will also be loaded with ice core samples that will be stored on the ship in a sub-zero freezer. The ice core samples will be delivered to the United States for scientific study.

While she was at the base, members of Navy Cargo Handling Battalion ONE were assisting with the offload. The teams live in barracks at McMurdo Station, or on the ships for the duration of the mission.

February is summer in the Southern Hemisphere, but weather is a constant factor in Antarctica. The continent is known for its extreme environment, particularly subzero temperatures and high winds. The MSC team headed by Marie Morriw, ship liaison to the Joint Support Forces Antarctica highlights there is a small window of just a few weeks for ODF to take place. Temperatures on the ice they report hover around freezing during the day and below zero at night. Cargo operations can move forward, despite the temperatures, but high winds can put a pause on work for hours, with the ships’ cranes unable to move cargo in winds over 25 knots.

Following operations in Antarctica, Ocean Gladiator will travel to Japan to deliver the floating modular causeway, before sailing for Port Hueneme, California, where they will offload cargo, completing their mission.