Photo Credit: Nathan Biletnikoff

Parade of ships

Vessel operations mark the beginning of the end of 2012-13 season

Four vessels will visit McMurdo Station as the 2012-13 field season begins to wind down. Above, the research vessel Nathaniel B. Palmer , left, is tied up along the fuel tanker ship M/T Maersk Peary at the station's ice pier. In the background is the Russian icebreaker Vladimir Ignatyuk , which cut a channel through the sea ice to Winter Quarters Bay. The Maersk Peary delivered about 5.5 million gallons of fuel. Station and military personnel will soon begin to unload cargo from a fourth vessel, the container ship M/V Ocean Giant. The cargo ship carries nearly seven million pounds of food, building supplies, vehicles, and electronic equipment and parts to supply McMurdo and South Pole stations for the coming year. The fuel and cargo ships are under charter through the Military Sealift Command .

South Pole Station ended its summer field season on Feb. 14 when the last plane headed north to McMurdo. The last flight from McMurdo until August is scheduled to leave March 5.

See the ice pier action happen live on the McMurdo Station mobile webcam .