Alumni Profile
Capt Bendixen `05 Supports `Operation Deep Freeze'
By Laurie Stone
The MV Ocean Giant, a Crowley Technical
After the Thule run and a vacation, Bendixen
Management heavylift ship 166 meters long
took OCEAN GIANT from Houston to Cartagena,
and 23 meters abeam, left Port Hueneme, CA
Columbia, and then through the Panama Canal
on January 17, 2013,
to Port Hueneme. In
with Captain Sandra
Port Hueneme, the
Bendixen '05 at the
ship was loaded for
helm.
Bendixen was
McMurdo and set sail,
assigned to take the
first for Lyttelton, New
ship, laden with almost
Zealand, for bunkers
seven million pounds
and additional cargo
of
supplies
(food,
and then south to
construction
supplies,
Antarctica. Bendixen
vehicles,
parts,
high
said
challenges
tech
supplies,
etc.)
involved
"finding
to McMurdo Station,
weather
windows
Antarctica, as part of the
from New Zealand
resupplyeffortconducted
to the Ross Sea, and
by
Military
Sealift
concentrating on ice
Command in support of
navigation and cold
`Operation Deep Freeze.'
weather operations."
OCEAN GIANT arrived
After off-loading and
in February after the
reloading the ship,
Maersk Perry, which
Bendixen had to move
delivered over six million
the ship quickly to try
gallons of diesel fuel, jet
to avoid the winter
fuel, and gasoline in January. All the supplies
pack ice surrounding Antarctica. At Lyttelton,
from the two vessels must last a year before
NZ, she left the ship to her relief captain and
the next resupply mission. Bendixen's ship
headed home for a break before her next
had its cargo off-loaded in about 8 days and
mission.
then reloaded with retrograde cargo (trash,
When people consider that Bendixen has
recyclable materials, outdated or unused
only been out of college for a little under 8
equipment) and ice core samples destined for
years and is now responsible for sailing a large
US scientists studying climate change.
ship "critical to the Operation Deep Freeze'
Bendixen's first voyage as master was aboard
mission for the people who live and work in
Crowley Liners' Ocean Freedom, after which
Antarctica" (Sylvester Moore, commander MSC
she was made port captain prior to the delivery
Pacific), they understand retired master of the
of the newly-built, Liberian-flagged OCEAN
TS State of Maine, Captain Laurence Wade's
GIANT. She took delivery of the ship in March
assessment of Captain Bendixen: "Sandy is a
2012 and reflagged her as a US ship in June
stellar representative of an MMA graduate who
2012. At that point, Bendixen was appointed
excelled in her practical `hands on' learning
the first US master of the ship and sailed
experience and continued to be a `hands on, go
almost immediately to Thule, Greenland, for a
do it officer and captain. She has been involved
resupply mission of the Thule Air Station and
with different ship types and operations, both
Operation Pacer Goose.
commercial and military in nature and has
shown her ability to lead and learn!"
32 MARINER 2013 - Issue 2

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