A few days ago we showed you pictures of the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Polar Star clearing a navigation channel to McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Today here are pictures showing the arrival of the Military Sealift Command-chartered vessel MV Ocean Giant, which is now conducting cargo offload operations at the station.
As we reported, the USCGC Polar Star reached McMurdo on Tuesday after cutting a resupply channel through more than 60 miles of Antarctic ice in the Ross sea. The operation was meant to clear a navigable path through the seasonal and multi-year ice allowing for the annual delivery of operating supplies and fuel for two of the National Science Foundation’s three U.S. research stations in Antarctica.
Friday’s offload is part of MSC’s support of the annual Antarctia resupply mission called Operation Deep Freeze 2017.
This year, Ocean Giant delivered 550 pieces of cargo, including nearly 7 million pounds including food, building supplies, vehicles, electrical equipment and parts. The supplies amount to nearly 80 percent of the materierals needed for the winter period.
Once the cargo is offloaded, the Ocean Giant will be followed by the MSC-chartered ship M/T Maersk Perry, which will deliver 100 percent of the fuel needed for the science mission in Antarctica.