To the End of the Earth: The Journey -- Deep Freeze

Operation "Deep Freeze"

Operation Deep Freeze is the unclassified code name given to the operations conducted by the Coast Guard, Air Force, Military Sealift Command and New York Air National Guard to provide operational and logistic support to the United States Antarctic Program, or USAP. The USAP is overseen by the National Science Foundation (NSF), which operate three U.S. research stations in Antarctica. McMurdo Station is by far the largest, and is the hub of research efforts made on the continent.

Operation Deep Freeze involves the deployment of scientific and support personnel, construction projects and supply operations, as well as coordinating air and surface operations for logistical and scientific support missions to McMurdo. The logistics effort includes U.S. Coast Guard icebreakers, Military Sealift Command-contracted resupply ships, C-5 and C-141 operations conducted by the Air Force, and LC-130 operations conducted by the 109th Airlift Wing from the New York Air National Guard.

In addition to the Polar Star, a number of non-Coast Guard ships take part in Deep Freeze:

Nathanial B. Palmer, the NSF's research icebreaker, operated under contract by Choeste Offshore.
Richard G. Matthiesen, a tanker operated by Ocean Ships under contract to the Military Sealift Command. It delivered 10 million gallons of petroleum products to McMurdo in 1999.
M/V Green Wave, a combination container/breakbulk dry goods cargo ship. Operated by Gulf Lines under contract to the Military Sealift Command, it delivered approximately 9 million pounds of dry cargo to McMurdo in 1999.

Several passenger vessels also visited McMurdo this year, including the Kapitan Khlebnikov, Southern Australias, Akademik Shokalsky and Marco Polo. These ships may visit McMurdo but they do not research USAP support and are not allowed to interfere with USAP activities.

Ship Operations Schedule

Date Ship Task

11/2/99 POLAR STAR U/W from ISC Seattle en route Honolulu

11/12/99 POLAR STAR Arrive in Honolulu

11/16/99 POLAR STAR Depart Honolulu en route Sydney

12/1/99 POLAR STAR Arrive in Sydney, AS

12/6/99 POLAR STAR Depart Sydney en route Hobart

12/7/99 NB PALMER Arrive in Lyttelton

12/8/99 POLAR STAR Arrive in Hobart, AS

12/12/99 POLAR STAR Depart Hobart en route Antarctica

12/15/99 POLAR STAR Cross 60° S

12/17/99 POLAR STAR Commence inbound science support

12/20/99 NB PALMER Depart Lyttelton for science cruise

12/27/99 POLAR STAR Arrive at McMurdo Ice Edge, begin break-in

12/28/99 POLAR STAR Channel, turning basin grooming

1/6/00 POLAR STAR Scarf Ice Pier, moor. Load refueling gear

1/7/00 POLAR STAR U/W en route Marble Point with MCM Fuel personnel aboard

1/8/00 POLAR STAR Arrive at Marble Point, break-in, commence refueling op

1/9/00 POLAR STAR Complete pumping. Conduct retro ops, return to McMurdo

1/10/00 POLAR STAR Offload Marble Point retrograde

1/12/00 MATTHIESEN Arrive at ice edge, escorted to ice pier by the POLAR STAR

1/13/00 MATTHIESEN Commence offload

1/16/00 MATTHIESEN Complete pumping, commence tank cleaning and ballast ops

1/17/00 MATTHIESEN Depart northbound

2/3/00 GREEN WAVE Arrive at ice edge, escorted to ice pier by the POLAR STAR

2/4/00 GREEN WAVE Commence cargo operations

2/10/00 GREEN WAVE Complete offload/backload, depart McMurdo

2/10/00 NB PALMER Arrive at McMurdo, refuel from POLAR STAR, moor at ice pier

2/11/00 POLAR STAR Depart McMurdo outbound

2/11/00 NB PALMER Commence offload/backload

2/15/00 NB PALMER Depart McMurdo for science cruise

2/16/00 POLAR STAR Arrive at Oates Coast for science support work

2/21/00 POLAR STAR Depart Oates Coast northbound

2/24/00 POLAR STAR Cross 60° S

4/10/00 POLAR STAR Return from Deep Freeze Y2K

Source: U.S. Coast Guard