When Do Supply Ships Go to Antarctica? Austral Summer Only

Antarctic resupply runs during the austral summer: mid-November through mid-March.

• Peak window: December–February (24h daylight, sea ice minimum, temps −10°C to +5°C coastal).
• Vessels: Ice-strengthened cargo ships (e.g., MPV Everest, SA Agulhas II, Xue Long, national program ships).
• Cargo: Fuel (AN8/Jet A-1), food, construction modules, science equipment, vehicles, waste removal.
• Stations served: McMurdo (US), Rothera (UK), Casey/Davis/Mawson (AU), Scott Base (NZ), Neumayer (DE), Concordia (FR/IT), plus others.

Winter (Apr–Oct): Only air drops (LC-130, Twin Otter) for emergencies; no ship access—sea ice extends 1,000+ km. Some stations (Amundsen-Scott, Vostok, Concordia) winter-over with skeleton crews.