Crowley wins $16 million MSC contract for Stena Polaris

Stena Polaris is a sister ship to Stena Impeccable (pictured here) one of the other Stena IMOIIMAX MR tankers reflagged by a Crowley and Stena Bulk JV [Photo: Stena Bulk]

The Navy’s Military Sealift Command has awarded Crowley Government Services Inc., Jacksonville, Fla., a $16,014,532 one-yesr option under a previously awarded contract for the operation of the ice class tanker Stena Polaris.

Stena Polaris is one of three medium range (MR) tankers reflagged as U.S. ships by a joint venture between Crowley and Stena Bulk USA to participate in the Tanker Security Program.

The Tanker Security Program (TSP) was established to ensure that a core fleet of U.S.-based product tankers can operate competitively in international trade and enhance U.S. supply chain resiliency for liquid fuel products. The TSP provides the Department of Defense with assured access to 10 U.S.-registered product tank vessels that may be used to supply the armed forces with fuel during times of armed conflict or national emergency

Under the just-awarded option, Stena Polaris will support the world-wide bulk fuel requirements of the Department of Defense (DOD) to include biennial delivery to Antarctica for the National Science Foundation and a delivery each year to Greenland for the DOD and the Defense Logistics Agency Energy.

Work will be performed worldwide and is expected to be completed, if all options are exercised, by Feb. 18, 2027. The option is funded by Transportation Working Capital funds for fiscal 2024 and will expire at the end of the fiscal year. Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity.