A 100-METRE floating pier is on its way to Antarctica as it nears the end of a very length tow from Portland, Oregon for the US National Science Foundation.
Named NSF Discovery Pier the barge-like structure arrived in Lyttelton on 29 January in tow of the 50-year-old US tug Rachel, owned by TradeWinds Towing, via stopovers in Hawaii and American Samoa.
After replenishing supplies tug and tow departed Lyttelton 4 February, assisted by Lyttelton Port Company tugs Piaka and Blackadder, for final destination the US base at McMurdo Station where it will replace an ice pier subject to cracking.
The final leg is expected to take around two weeks, depending on weather and ice conditions in the Ross Sea and near McMurdo, sailing at about 6.5 knots.
The US Coast Guard heavy icebreaker, Polar Star, will support operations in the Southern Ocean through the icebergs to McMurdo.
Image: TradeWinds Towing
NSF McMurdo Station is the largest of the US year-round stations and the largest station on the continent.
It is the central logistical hub for the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP), supporting research on the continent and at NSF Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.
The barge was launched in September 2025 and is designed for long-term stability and a lifespan of at least 20 years.
Once installed and ready for operation in January 2027 the pier will feature two high-capacity bridges, allowing for an efficient drive-thru traffic flow for trucks, trailers, loaders and heavy equipment.
The barge pier will replace the annual construction and maintenance of an ice pier, ensuring a more reliable and efficient solution for cargo ship operations, the US Antarctic Program says.
Throughout the 2024-25 Antarctic season, NSF collaborated with Antarctica New Zealand and the US Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3 to install onshore mooring infrastructure, which will secure the pier for long-term stability.
Crews surveyed the wharf, installed bore templates and drilled and placed steel pilings.
During upcoming seasons, large pre-cast concrete pile caps will be placed over the piles and four stiff-leg cylinders will connect the barge to the onshore infrastructure. Launching the two high-capacity modular bridges is the last installation step.
Although built as long ago as 1976, Rachel is said to be the first ever towing vessel under 300 GT to be granted a Polar Voyage Certificate under the new IMO rules.