In late January, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star successfully ran interference through 12 miles of ice up to 10' thick so that two ships could deliver supplies to the McMurdo Science Station in Antarctica in support of Operation Deep Freeze. The cutter assisted by breaking a navigable shipping lane through the ice that was used by the tanker ship Maersk Peary to deliver approximately 3.5 million gals. of fuel to McMurdo residents, allowing the station to remain manned and ready during the freezing winter months. The cargo ship Maersk Illinois also used the channel to deliver more than 500 containers of supplies to operate McMurdo and South Pole stations for the next 12 months. In addition, the crew of the Polar Star helped deploy nearly one mile of fuel hose to Marble Point, an air station 20 miles west of McMurdo, which will allow the station to be refueled for the next 10 to 15 years.
