Posted:
January 24, 2013
The Military Sealift Command-chartered container ship M/V Ocean Giant departed Port Hueneme, Calif., loaded with nearly seven million pounds of supplies, such as frozen and dry food stores, building supplies, vehicles and electronic equipment and parts, Jan. 17.
The MSC-chartered tanker M/T Maersk Peary departed the European area of operations in December, with over six million gallons of diesel fuel, jet fuel and gasoline.
Both ships are currently underway en route to McMurdo Station, Antarctica, marking the start of MSC's resupply efforts in support of Operation Deep Freeze, the annual Joint Task Force Support for Antarctica mission to resupply the remote scientific outpost.
During this single mission, MSC-chartered ships will deliver 100 percent of the fuel and about 80 percent of the supplies that researchers and support personnel in Antarctica need to survive and work over the course of a year.
Maersk Peary will arrive in Antarctica first and discharge its fuel cargo, followed by Ocean Giant in mid-February. Ocean Giant is scheduled to off-load its cargo at a 500-foot ice pier that juts out from the Antarctic coast. The cargo will be off-loaded by members of Navy Cargo Handling Battalion One working around-the-clock for eight days. Following the off-load, the ship will be loaded with retrograde cargo for transportation off the continent, including ice core samples carried back to the United States in sub-zero freezer containers, as well as trash and recyclable materials for disposal and equipment no longer required on station.
"Operation Deep Freeze is a very critical mission for the people who live and work in Antarctica," said Capt. Sylvester Moore, commander MSC Pacific. "Without this resupply mission, all operations in Antarctica would end, and the scientific community would lose the opportunity to conduct research and study not only the continent of Antarctica, but its impact on our global climate."
Maersk Peary, Ocean Giant support Operation Deep Freeze
The M/V Ocean Giant departed Port Hueneme, Calif., loaded with nearly seven million pounds of supplies, such as frozen and dry food stores, building supplies, vehicles and electronic equipment and parts, Jan. 17. (U.S. Navy photo)
The following is excerpted from an article released by Military Sealift Command. The M/T Maersk Peary is operated by Maersk Line, Limited and the M/V Ocean Giant is operated by Crowley Liner Services. American Maritime Officers represents all licensed officers aboard both ships.The Military Sealift Command-chartered container ship M/V Ocean Giant departed Port Hueneme, Calif., loaded with nearly seven million pounds of supplies, such as frozen and dry food stores, building supplies, vehicles and electronic equipment and parts, Jan. 17.
The MSC-chartered tanker M/T Maersk Peary departed the European area of operations in December, with over six million gallons of diesel fuel, jet fuel and gasoline.
Both ships are currently underway en route to McMurdo Station, Antarctica, marking the start of MSC's resupply efforts in support of Operation Deep Freeze, the annual Joint Task Force Support for Antarctica mission to resupply the remote scientific outpost.
During this single mission, MSC-chartered ships will deliver 100 percent of the fuel and about 80 percent of the supplies that researchers and support personnel in Antarctica need to survive and work over the course of a year.
Maersk Peary will arrive in Antarctica first and discharge its fuel cargo, followed by Ocean Giant in mid-February. Ocean Giant is scheduled to off-load its cargo at a 500-foot ice pier that juts out from the Antarctic coast. The cargo will be off-loaded by members of Navy Cargo Handling Battalion One working around-the-clock for eight days. Following the off-load, the ship will be loaded with retrograde cargo for transportation off the continent, including ice core samples carried back to the United States in sub-zero freezer containers, as well as trash and recyclable materials for disposal and equipment no longer required on station.
"Operation Deep Freeze is a very critical mission for the people who live and work in Antarctica," said Capt. Sylvester Moore, commander MSC Pacific. "Without this resupply mission, all operations in Antarctica would end, and the scientific community would lose the opportunity to conduct research and study not only the continent of Antarctica, but its impact on our global climate."