Antarctica is one of the most remote and isolated places on Earth. As the coldest and windiest continent on the planet according to the United States Antarctic Program, Antarctica does not have permanent countries, cities or residents. The extreme weather conditions make getting to and living on the continent very challenging.
The United States’ main station on the continent, McMurdo Station, has a mean average annual temperature of 0°F, with temperatures getting as high as 46°F in the summer and as low as −58°F in the winter, with average winds of 12 knots. According to the U.S. National Science Foundation, the population of McMurdo Station goes up to 1,100 people at the height of the summer season and decreases to about 200 people during the winter.
A key hub for U.S. research in Antarctica since the 1950s, McMurdo Station brings in essential supplies not only for its own station, but for the continent’s South Pole and Palmer Stations as well. However, McMurdo has long experienced logistical challenges with resupplying. Historically, those efforts relied on an ice pier, but shifting sea ice conditions have made that method increasingly unreliable. Now, an important infrastructure project is set to make life and operations at the continent’s McMurdo Station more efficient — and Old Republic Surety is providing the bonding support for this ambitious endeavor.
The U.S. National Science Foundation’s Antarctic Program, in collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is overseeing the development of a floating barge pier at McMurdo. According to Future USAP, this new structure will be permanently stationed in Winter Quarters Bay, a small cove of McMurdo Sound, making it more reliable than previous solutions.
The planning of the new floating barge began after an ice pier at the station failed in 2012. Following the failure, an Army modular causeway system (MCS) was introduced as a temporary solution. This was used again in the 2019-2020 and 2022-2023 seasons, ensuring that critical supplies reached McMurdo and South Pole Station. However, using the MCS reduces available cargo space on resupply vessels.
According to USAP, the newly designed barge pier will eliminate the need for backup measures like the MCS. The 100-foot-by-328-foot-long pier will be anchored in place using four stiff-leg columns that connect to both the barge and onshore abutments. Two large bridges will allow a continual flow of trucks, trailers, loaders and other heavy equipment, streamlining supply operations. Designed for a minimum 20-year service life, the barge pier will provide a dependable offload and onload system for McMurdo, ensuring uninterrupted supply chain operations and improved efficiency in one of the most challenging environments on the planet.
Gunderson Marine and Iron, a contractor based in Portland, Ore., has been awarded the $44 million project. Old Republic Surety is providing the performance and payment bonds required by the Army Corp of Engineers. The performance bond guarantees the dock will be constructed and delivered per the specifications of the contract, and the payment bond guarantees that all material suppliers and subcontractors are paid for their work. The pier is expected to be completed in the fall of 2025. It then will be towed from Portland to Antarctica, with an expected arrival at its permanent home in February 2026.
As the barge embarks on its journey south, we will continue to monitor progress. Stay tuned for updates as this critical infrastructure improvement progresses.
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