AMO Currents - Secretary of the Navy visits <i>M/V American Tern</i>

AMO Currents - Posted: April 22, 2010

Secretary of the Navy visits M/V American Tern

U.S. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus visited the M/V American Tern as the ship called at McMurdo Station on the shore of McMurdo Sound in Antarctica for Operation Deep Freeze 2010, the annual resupply mission to provide the station with food, scientific equipment, basic supplies and fuel.

The M/V American Tern is operated by APL Maritime Limited and manned in all licensed positions by American Maritime Officers. The visit by Navy Secretary Mabus was reported on in the April 8 edition of APL Maritime Safety News.

"The voyage of the American Tern is critical to the success of McMurdo Station's scientific mission," said Eric Mensing, vice president of the government trade for APL and president of APL Maritime. "Without the supplies and material we deliver, the station couldn't exist, so our crew is playing a critical role in the future of climate research."

Also serving in Deep Freeze 2010 was the T-5 tanker USNS Paul Buck, operated by Ocean Ships and manned in all licensed positions by AMO.

Photos of the American Tern officers from Deep Freeze 2010 are available online in the March 31 edition of Photos from the Fleet, and photos of the USNS Paul Buck are available in the Feb. 28 edition. The online photo gallery can be accessed online.