The Military Sealift Command’s chartered vessel MV Ocean Giant has successfully completed its cargo delivery mission to McMurdo Station, Antarctica, as part of Operation Deep Freeze 2025. The ship arrived at the remote Antarctic outpost on January 26, delivering essential supplies that will sustain the station’s operations for the coming year.
This year’s mission featured the construction and use of a 65-ton floating Marine Causeway System, comprising multiple 24-foot sections, to replace the traditional ice pier, which was deemed unusable this year due to severe damage.
The mission’s scope included the delivery of 380 pieces of cargo, encompassing vital supplies such as mechanical parts, vehicles, construction materials, office supplies, electronics equipment, and mobile office units. Following the successful offload, the vessel was loaded with 360 containers of retrograde cargo, including waste materials and surplus equipment for removal from the continent.
Operation Deep Freeze represents a joint service effort, combining personnel from multiple military branches including the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Army, and Coast Guard, along with Department of Defense civilians and non-DOD civilians. The operation functions primarily from two strategic locations: Christchurch, New Zealand, and McMurdo Station, Antarctica.
The mission’s continuation marks a historic milestone in Antarctic operations, as MSC-chartered vessels have maintained this challenging supply route annually since the station’s establishment in 1955.
The MV Ocean Gladiator is scheduled to arrive at McMurdo Station in the coming week to conduct additional cargo operations and retrieve the causeway system.
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