SEATTLE — The only U.S. vessel capable of breaking a navigable channel through ice up to 21 feet thick departed Seattle on Wednesday for its annual Antarctic deployment, the Coast Guard said.

The U.S.’ only heavy icebreaker is en route to McMurdo Station, the largest U.S. facility in Antarctica and the logistics hub of the nation’s Antarctic Program. This marks the ship’s 29th deployment under Operation Deep Freeze, a long-running joint military mission that supports the National Science Foundation and ensures supply and fuel ships can access the remote station via the Ross Sea.

“Each year, the cutter serves a vital role … Polar Star’s mission directly protects the security, freedom, and prosperity for the U.S., our allies and partners,” the Coast Guard said.

Commissioned in 1976, Polar

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