NZDF Engineers complete projects for U.S. Antarctic scientists
Twenty New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) engineers and tradesmen are returning home this week from Antarctica, where they spent six weeks working on several construction projects for the United States Antarctic programme.
“It was a great opportunity for the Light Engineering Team to work in a multinational environment. The challenging conditions enabled us to test our capabilities and put our training to use,” Lieutenant Arjun Balasubramanian, who led the NZDF contingent, said.
Braving temperatures that sometimes dipped to minus 40 degrees, the NZDF contingent built a timber bridge and realigned sections of a six-kilometre fuel supply line which runs from Scott Base, New Zealand’s permanent research support station in Antarctica, to McMurdo Station, the hub of US scientific activity on the continent.
“The terrain has moved significantly over the years, placing the fuel line under significant stress. By realigning the fuel stanchion brackets, we ensured that the fuel line remains in working order for years to come,” Lieutenant Balasubramanian said.
The engineering team also refurbished dormitories used by US scientists, demolished an outdoor freezer, and built a 10-bay Bailey bridge used by NZDF drivers when offloading a year’s worth of supplies brought by cargo ship MV Ocean Giant, Lieutenant Balasubramanian said.
“The bridge has suffered a lot of stress in the past five years due to the moving pier and the heavy loads carried by the trucks. As a result, we had to replace 10 of the steel truss panels used for it.”
The NZDF engineering contingent worked in the continent for six weeks from February to March, and included four combat engineers, nine carpenters, four plumbers, one electrician and one maintenance fitter.
Antarctica has been one of the NZDF’s major missions for more than 60 years. Up to 200 personnel are deployed during the summer season, including air crew, refuelling operators, Army engineers, heavy plant operators, communications specialists and staff providing ground support and passenger and cargo handling.
McMurdo also supports the US station located at the South Pole and accommodates more than 1000 scientists and support personnel during the summer season.
