Subscribe
Military Sealift Command (MSC)-chartered ship MT Stena Polaris has arrived at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, as part of MSC’s support to the Operation Deep Freeze (ODF) 2026 resupply mission.
The Stena Polaris arrived safely at the ice-pier at McMurdo Station Jan. 20, following a voyage from Greece, where the fuel cargo was onloaded before Christmas. Working with Navy Cargo Handling Battalion ONE already on the ice, the Stena Polaris is scheduled to deliver nearly 5 million gallons of diesel fuel called AN8, a blend mixed specifically for Antarctica; over 400 thousand gallons of aviation fuel; and 126 thousand gallons of gasoline. This represents 100 %of the fuel supply needed for two years at the remote outpost.
Prior to offloading its fuel cargo, pipelines will be installed from the storage tanks to the ship. All safety protocols and precautions will be taken to protect the ship’s crew, cargo handlers, as well as Antarctica’s delicate ecosystem. Two MSC-chartered ships are supporting ODF 2026. Following Stena Polaris’ fuel delivery, the heavy lift ship Plantijngracht will arrive with cargo consisting of containers filled with construction equipment, materials, and parts for the ongoing barge project at McMurdo Station, as well as dry goods and supplies for offload.
ODF is a joint service, ongoing Defense Support to Civilian Authorities (DSCA) mission in support of the National Science Foundation (NSF). NSF is the lead agency for the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP). Mission support consists of active duty, Guard and Reserve personnel from the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Army, and Coast Guard as well as Department of War civilians and attached non-DOW civilians. ODF operates from two primary locations situated at Christchurch, New Zealand, and McMurdo Station, Antarctica. MSC-chartered ships have made the challenging voyage to Antarctica every year since the station and its resupply mission were established in 1955.
#_msoanchor_1Fragile sounds breakable
| Date Taken: | 01.21.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 01.22.2026 10:53 |
| Story ID: | 556468 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 117 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, First MSC Chartered Ship Arrives at McMurdo Station Antarctica in Support of Operation Deep Freeze 2026, by Sarah Cannon, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
