Posted:
February 15, 2011
The USNS Richard G. Matthiesen in February delivered diesel, gasoline and jet fuel to McMurdo Station in Antarctica, Military Sealift Command reported. The successful mission marked the last Deep Freeze mission for the T-5 tanker series.
"This is the last McMurdo Station port call for a T-5 tanker, a milestone in 26 years of dedicated tanker support by MSC, the Champion Class tankers and the U.S. merchant seamen who crew them in support of Operation Deep Freeze," said Rear Adm. Mark Buzby, commander of MSC. "MSC will continue support to Operation Deep Freeze, but this marks the end of a proud era for the Champion Class tankers."
The USNS Matthiesen is one of five ice-strengthened tankers built in the mid-1980s and chartered by MSC until 2003, when the command purchased four of the five. The T-5 tankers have been replaced for most Department of Defense fuel transportation missions by two newly-built tankers - the M/T Evergreen State and M/T Empire State - both operated for American Petroleum Tankers by Intrepid Personnel and Provisioning (Crowley) and manned in all licensed positions by American Maritime Officers. As these vessels are not ice-strengthened, MSC will charter appropriate tankers on the commercial market to complete ice missions.
On this final Antarctic voyage for a T-5 tanker, the Matthiesen delivered 5.5 million gallons of fuel - the entirety of McMurdo Station's needs for this year. Following this fuel delivery, the MSC-chartered M/V BBC Ems delivered more than 84,000 square feet of dry cargo to the station, MSC reported. MSC has sent a dry cargo ship and a tanker pair to Antarctica each year since the station was established in 1955.
The USNS Matthiesen is operated by Ocean Shipholdings Inc. for Military Sealift Command and is manned in all licensed positions by American Maritime Officers.
USNS Matthiesen delivers for Operation Deep Freeze 2011
The USNS Richard G. Matthiesen in February delivered diesel, gasoline and jet fuel to McMurdo Station in Antarctica, Military Sealift Command reported. The successful mission marked the last Deep Freeze mission for the T-5 tanker series.
"This is the last McMurdo Station port call for a T-5 tanker, a milestone in 26 years of dedicated tanker support by MSC, the Champion Class tankers and the U.S. merchant seamen who crew them in support of Operation Deep Freeze," said Rear Adm. Mark Buzby, commander of MSC. "MSC will continue support to Operation Deep Freeze, but this marks the end of a proud era for the Champion Class tankers."
The USNS Matthiesen is one of five ice-strengthened tankers built in the mid-1980s and chartered by MSC until 2003, when the command purchased four of the five. The T-5 tankers have been replaced for most Department of Defense fuel transportation missions by two newly-built tankers - the M/T Evergreen State and M/T Empire State - both operated for American Petroleum Tankers by Intrepid Personnel and Provisioning (Crowley) and manned in all licensed positions by American Maritime Officers. As these vessels are not ice-strengthened, MSC will charter appropriate tankers on the commercial market to complete ice missions.
On this final Antarctic voyage for a T-5 tanker, the Matthiesen delivered 5.5 million gallons of fuel - the entirety of McMurdo Station's needs for this year. Following this fuel delivery, the MSC-chartered M/V BBC Ems delivered more than 84,000 square feet of dry cargo to the station, MSC reported. MSC has sent a dry cargo ship and a tanker pair to Antarctica each year since the station was established in 1955.
The USNS Matthiesen is operated by Ocean Shipholdings Inc. for Military Sealift Command and is manned in all licensed positions by American Maritime Officers.