(PORTLAND, Ore.) — The McMurdo docking pier, constructed by Gunderson Marine & Iron and designed by Glosten for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has arrived at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, following a 9,159-nautical-mile voyage across the Pacific Ocean and Southern Ocean.
The pier, towed from the Pacific Northwest by TradeWinds Towing, was underway for 69 days, averaging 5.5 knots over the course of its journey. This total includes four days of route adjustments to avoid severe Southern Ocean weather systems. During the final leg of the voyage from New Zealand to McMurdo, the tow encountered seas reaching 30 feet, underscoring the extreme conditions the structure was engineered to withstand.
The McMurdo docking pier will replace the traditional seasonal ice pier historically used at the station. Designed with a raked hull to ride on top of sea ice and engineered for long-term durability in polar conditions, the new pier will provide more reliable, lower- maintenance mooring infrastructure to support cargo operations at the largest research facility in Antarctica.
“This project reflects the capability and resilience of our workforce,” said Dee Burch, president of Gunderson Marine & Iron. “From engineering and fabrication in Portland to arrival at the edge of the world, this pier represents the strength of American shipbuilding and the commitment to supporting critical scientific research in one of the harshest environments on earth.”
The successful arrival marks a major milestone in the multi-year effort to modernize logistics infrastructure supporting U.S. Antarctic research operations.
– Gunderson Marine & Iron
