On November 20, 2025, the U.S. Coast Guard’s heavy-icebreaker USCGC Polar Star sailed out of Seattle bound for Antarctica. In an announcement issued on December 1, 2025, the Coast Guard confirmed that Polar Star will participate in Operation Deep Freeze, the annual mission that supports the U.S. Antarctic Program and ensures access to the continent during the austral summer. The departure marks another year of polar work for the cutter and its crew and underscores how maritime operations reach even the most remote waters.
USCGC Polar Star: what it is and why it matters
USCGC Polar Star (WAGB-10) stands among the most capable icebreakers in the U.S. fleet. Commissioned in 1976, she measures about 399 feet (121 m) in length and displaces roughly 13,000 tons when fully loaded. After an extensive mid-life overhaul completed in 2013-14, the Polar Star regained full ice-breaking capability and reinforces America’s ability to operate in polar conditions. She uses diesel-electric drive, heavy hull reinforcement and a bow designed to ride up onto ice before breaking it by weight.
Polar Star’s primary mission is two-fold: support U.S. activities in Antarctica and provide domestic polar presence in the Arctic. Each year during Operation Deep Freeze, she clears a supply channel through the Ross Sea for cargo ships carrying fuel, equipment and personnel to McMurdo Station and other U.S. facilities. The 2025–26 mission will place her amid a season when U.S. polar infrastructure expects even greater demands.
By deploying again, the Coast Guard signals a continuing commitment to polar logistics, scientific research, and strategic presence. For mariners and offshore professionals keeping an eye on polar operations, Polar Star’s transit from Seattle offers a live example of long-range logistics, ice-navigation and extreme-environment readiness.
The voyage: from Seattle to the southern ice
The Cutter departed from its homeport of Seattle on November 20, 2025, under its commanding officer, Commander Lisa Ramirez. Initial legs covered the Pacific Northwest, followed by a run south along the Chilean coast. According to the Coast Guard announcement, Polar Star will rendezvous with a supply convoy near McMurdo Sound around January 7, 2026. From there she will conduct ice clearance operations and, in parallel, scientific support tasks.
The transit presents several operational challenges: navigating open ocean storms, crossing the equator southbound, and finally entering heavy pack ice. Navigators must shift from conventional open-ocean seamanship to polar survival mode, including special lookout rotations, ice watch teams, and helicopter detachment operations. The logistical chain behind the mission stretches from Seattle through Pacific ports, down to Chile, then into the Ross Sea.
The Coast Guard said the Polar Star will also carry science personnel and environmental observers for ice-thickness monitoring under the Deep Freeze programme. In doing so, she supports not only logistics but also data-gathering for climate science and U.S. research presence.
Why this year’s mission matters more than usual
Several factors elevate the 2025–26 deployment. First, increased resupply demands: McMurdo Station expects a heavier cargo season owing to new Antarctic infrastructure projects and additional personnel rotations. Polar Star’s role thus becomes more critical.
Second, changing ice conditions: while Arctic sea-ice has drawn most headlines, the Ross Sea region may face heavier first-year ice than previously predicted by NOAA models this season. Ice-watch authorities caution that pack ice could delay resupply vessels, making early access by Polar Star essential.
Third, strategic and environmental stakes: the U.S. views Antarctica as more than a science outpost. The mission supports treaty obligations, research leadership and polar presence—areas where the Coast Guard and Polar Star remain visible. For seafarers and marine professionals, this mission offers clear lessons in long-haul planning, complex logistics in remote regions and extreme conditions preparedness.
