MSC replenishes Antarctica

By Trish Hoffman

Military Sealift Command chartered ship MV American Tern sailed to Antarctica to deliver supplies to the National Science Foundation’s McMurdo Station. McMurdo Sound, the ice-filled body of water that surrounds the station, is only passable by ship in the summertime. Summer in Antarctica usually lasts from October to February. Photos courtesy of MV American Tern

There are several places on Earth that have yet to yield all of their secrets to man — the dense rain forests of the Amazon, the deepest waters of the oceans and the frigid regions of Antarctica — all hold untold treasures.

Scientists and scholars travel to these far-off places, willing to endure unforgiving conditions in order to shed light on Earth's secrets. However, the success of every research expedition depends on the timely arrival of new supplies, be it by plane, train or ship.

In the frozen land of Antarctica lies the logistics hub of the U.S. Antarctic Program — McMurdo Station on Ross Island. Through the permanent settlement at McMurdo, the National Science Foundation's Office of Polar Programs manages all U.S. scientific research on the continent. The population at McMurdo swells in size from around 200 people in the winter to more than 1,000 in the summer, which usually lasts from October to February.

McMurdo Sound, the body of water that surrounds McMurdo Station, is filled with dense ice that is only passable by ship in the summertime. The Antarctic summer is the only safe time to re-supply the station. Some supplies are flown into the station, but the vast majority of supplies come by ship.

For more than 30 years, Military Sealift Command has participated in Operation Deep Freeze, the annual operation to re-supply McMurdo Station. MSC provides two ships for the operation — a cargo ship to bring fresh supplies to McMurdo and take away refuse and a tanker to bring fuel. It is illegal to introduce pollutants into Antarctica's environment under the Antarctica Conservation Act of 1978, so all waste must be taken elsewhere for disposal.

Cargo ship MV American Tern and tanker USNS Paul Buck made this year's trip to re-supply McMurdo.

"This was the third trip the ship has made to Antarctica, but this was the first trip for many members of the crew," said Capt. Tim Adams, American Tern's master. "Crew morale was very high because everyone knew that this was a once in a lifetime experience."

The crew was briefed extensively while sailing south on the proper precautions against hypothermia, dehydration and sleep deprivation. Earth's most southern continent is not only the coldest place on the planet, it is also the driest. Sleep deprivation is also a common problem since daylight lasts for 24 hours during the summer.

Four ships arrive at McMurdo Station: MSC tanker USNS Paul Buck (close right), USCG icebreaker Polar Star (close left), research vessel MV Nathaniel B. Palmer (far left), and the Russian icebreaker MV Krasin (far right).

The ice pack in McMurdo Sound was very dense this year thanks to two huge icebergs — B-15A and C-16. When B-15A first broke away from the Ross Ice Shelf in March 2000, it was the size of Jamaica. Although it is now smaller, it is still the largest floating item in the world. The two icebergs obstructed the ocean current that carries ice northward, which kept the ice pack from breaking up as it normally does during the Antarctic summer.

Although both American Tern and Paul Buck have ice-strengthened hulls, they still need assistance making their way through the ice pack. U.S. Coast Guard icebreakers Polar Star and Polar Sea usually lead the way through the ice to McMurdo Station. After last year's operation, Polar Sea had to go into dry dock for repairs. One icebreaker would not be able to clear the way for two other ships with such a dense ice pack.

With Polar Sea out of commission, the National Science Foundation had to find another icebreaker for this year's operation. The 440-foot long Russian ship MV Krasin, one of the world's largest non-nuclear powered icebreakers, was chartered to complete the mission. The ship traveled from the cold waters of the Okhotsk Sea to the frigid waters of McMurdo Sound.

"We made a lot of friends with the crew of Krasin while working with them," said Capt. Adams. "The ship and her master, Victor Kocalchuk, have years of experience escorting cargo ships through the Northeast Passage in the Sea of Okhotsk. That experience was a huge help during this mission."

Despite the threat the thick ice presented to the mission, this year's Operation Deep Freeze was a success. Paul Buck arrived at McMurdo's ice pier, a man-made pier consisting of many layers of ice, in late January.

The 615-foot ship unloaded more than 8.7 million gallons of fuel. Paul Buck also provided fresh water and fuel to Polar Star and Krasin and removed their waste oil for later disposal. After unloading her cargo, Paul Buck departed McMurdo Station on Jan. 31 and traveled 66 miles back through the ice pack under the escort of Polar Star and Krasin.

Once all three ships cleared the ice pack, the icebreakers turned around and escorted the waiting American Tern to McMurdo Station. American Tern tied up Feb. 3 and unloaded more than 123,000 square feet of cargo and more than 130,000 square feet of refuse. The 521-foot American Tern left McMurdo Station on Feb. 8, following Polar Star and Krasin as they led the way out of the ice pack and away from the ice-filled waters of Antarctica.