Operation Deep Freeze 2024 – Ships in Antarctica

All photographs credit Lisa Cox taken during her deployment as part of Operation Deep Freeze 2024, who has generously allowed them to be shared here.

The U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker USCGC Polar Star (WAGB-10) clears a channel to McMurdo Station, Antarctica, on 20JAN24. She is the lead ship of her class and has one sistership, USCGC Polar Sea (WAGB-11).

Polar Star moored alongside the ice pier at McMurdo Station. She was commissioned in 1976 and has undergone an extensive refit to extend her service life.

A tour of Polar Star’s navigation bridge for McMurdo station personnel on 11FEB24.

The Helm and Lee Helm stations on Polar Star’s bridge. The Helmsman controls steering while the Lee Helmsman controls the ship’s engines. The ship has three screws and a Combined diesel-electric or gas (CODLOG) power plant totaling 93,000 hp.

A view of the fo’c’sle aboard Polar Star with good view of the desolate Antarctic terrain in the background.

The Polar Star clears a channel for the MV Ocean Gladiator on 20JAN24. She is capable of breaking ice up to 21 feet (6.4 meters) thick.

The MV Ocean Gladiator alongside the ice pier at McMurdo Station, Antarctica on 21JAN24. Ocean Gladiator is a U.S. flagged ship chartered by the Military Sealift Command. This is an annual supply run conducted during the Antarctic Summer, the containers include enough material and equipment to conduct operations for another year.

Two days later the off-load is complete. The ship is then re-loaded with material and equipment no longer needed at the Station. Ice cores are packed in special refrigerated containers for scientific studies in labs in America.

Fuel is also brought in by ship. This is the MT Acadia Trader, also operating under an MSC charter, making her way up the channel on 02FEB24.

MT Acadia Trader alongside the ice pier. Her cargo included 7,000,000 gallons of AN8 diesel fuel specifically for cold-weather operations, 1,500,000 gallons of aviation fuel, and 155,000 gallons of gasoline. This is enough for two years’ worth of Station operations.

Aircraft in Antarctica here: https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2024/05/15/operation-deep-freeze-2024-aircraft-in-antarctica/