pThe United States Coast Guard heavy icebreaker Polar Star arrived in Hobart, Australia, on the morning of February 15a after completing an ice cutting operation in Antarctica.ppThe ship, which originally sailed from Seattle, plowed a channel through about 15 miles (24 kilometers) of ice about 8.2 feet (2.5 meters) in the McMurdo Sound strait. According to a Coast Guard press releasea, the Antarctica operation faced multiple logistical challenges, including flooding in the ship’s engine room at a rate of 20 gallons per minute and a gas turbine failure.ppThis file footage from January 13 shows the ship in McMurdo Sound.