She departed Seattle on 6 July 1970 to conduct scientific tests and evaluation of crude oil spread rate in the Arctic Ocean. Later that summer when a large group of 20 tugboats and 40 barges bound for Prudhoe Bay with vital supplies became trapped in pack ice, "Staten Island" worked around the clock for 3½ days to tow and push the barges to open water. She freed the fouled screw of the tugboat "Active" southwest of Point Barrow on 14 August 1970, and returned to Seattle on 20 August 1970. "Staten Island" departed Seattle once more later in 1970 as part of "Operation Deep Freeze 1971".