MSC Charters Dutch Heavy-Lift Vessel for Antarctica Mission, Raising U.S. Flagship Concerns

Port Hueneme, California – The U.S. Military Sealift Command (MSC) recently completed cargo loading for Operation Deep Freeze 2026, sending the Dutch-flagged heavy-lift vessel Plantijngracht to McMurdo Station in Antarctica. The decision to charter a foreign-flagged ship has sparked discussions over MSC’s reliance on non-U.S. vessels for critical government missions.

From December 21 to January 7, dockworkers loaded 305 cargo items, including construction materials, heavy machinery, and essential life-support supplies, to sustain McMurdo Station through the Antarctic winter. A 65-ton Modular Causeway System (MCS), designed to replace the station’s traditional ice pier, was also transported, ensuring efficient resupply for future missions.

The loading operation was overseen by four members of the Military Sealift Command Pacific’s Expeditionary Port Unit, coordinating closely with the ship’s crew and MSC planners. Navy Cmdr. Allan Phillips, commanding officer of the unit, highlighted the mission’s value for reservists. “This operation broadens our understanding of Navy logistics, particularly the interplay between MSC and commercial shipping,” Phillips said.

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Marilyn Lazar, a hospital corpsman, noted the assignment provided insight into how specialized logistics operations contribute to larger defense efforts. After a stop in Christchurch, New Zealand, for additional cargo, the Plantijngracht will sail approximately 8,040 nautical miles to McMurdo, where Navy Cargo Handling Battalion ONE will unload and assemble the causeway system and manage full cargo operations. The vessel will also return with materials, including waste and ice core samples, destined for U.S. laboratories.

Foreign-Flag Concerns

The selection of a Dutch-flagged ship has drawn criticism from maritime experts. Historian Sal Mercogliano stressed that relying on foreign vessels undermines efforts to strengthen the U.S. merchant marine. He recommended MSC review its contracting practices to favor domestic shipping if national shipping capabilities are to be preserved.

MSC clarified that a competitive bidding process began in October 2025. After reopening the solicitation in November 2025, only one technically acceptable vessel,a foreign-flagged ship operated by a U.S. company,met the requirements and was awarded the contract in December 2025.

Operation Deep Freeze: A Long-Standing Mission

Operation Deep Freeze, a Defense Support to Civilian Authorities (DSCA) initiative conducted with the National Science Foundation, has supported the U.S. Antarctic Program since 1955. MSC-chartered vessels have regularly transported cargo to McMurdo, typically operating out of Christchurch and McMurdo. Last season, U.S.-flagged ships MV Ocean Gladiator and MV Ocean Giant delivered 321 cargo items and completed the first operational deployment of the Marine Causeway System.