NZDF personnel unload year’s worth of supplies for Antarctica scientists
In summer Antarctica has round-the-clock daylight, providing perfect working conditions for New Zealand Army drivers and logistics personnel.
For 24 hours a day they unload and deliver a shipload of supplies to sustain scientists working on the continent for the next 12 months.
About 5000 tonnes of supplies, much of it transported in more than 500 containers, were taken to the continent by American cargo ship MV Ocean Giant.
More than 20 Army combat drivers, six logistics personnel and 24 movement operators were working alongside the United States Navy’s Cargo Handling Battalion One to unload the supplies and transport them to McMurdo Station and Scott Base, the Senior National Officer for Operation Antarctica, Lieutenant Commander Ross Hickey, said.
Two drivers and two terminal operators from the Australian Defence Force are also operating as part of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) contingent.
Once the ship’s cargo had been unloaded, NZDF movement operators would reload the ship with about 400 containers of waste and items for repair from the previous 12 months, Lieutenant Commander Hickey said.
During the offloading, the trucks are driven alongside the Ocean Giant, which is moored to a large pier made of ice. During winter staff from the United States Antarctic programme pack down more snow on to the pier, which freezes and becomes strong enough to hold the heavy loads.
Captain Toby Jordan, from 5 Movements Company, said the teams were working two 12-hour shifts for the duration of the mission.
“There’s only one ship supply per year, and this is the main effort for this year,” Captain Jordan said.
“The only other way they can get in supplies of fresh fruit, vegetables and meats is via a US C-17 Hercules. So this is the main opportunity for us to unload it.”
Precautions were taken to cope with the extreme weather, Captain Jordan said. Staff did not work more than six hours at a time before stopping for a proper meal break and warm up at McMurdo Station.
“Also down on the ice pier we have a warming tent, so that when people were not busy or they were rotating around jobs they went into that warming tent, where they could get out of the wind and warm up a bit. There was pizza delivered constantly to the tent so they could have a hot feed,” he said.
“The team was also issued with United States Antarctic Programme extreme cold weather gear, and coupled with our warm NZDF clothing we were well equipped to handle the job.”
Acting Commander Joint Forces New Zealand Brigadier Jim Bliss said NZDF personnel, with their specialist skills, played a key role in ensuring the United States and New Zealand Antarctic research stations were resupplied.
“NZDF’s contribution to Antarctic research is expected to expand as new capabilities come on stream in the coming years,” he said.
