The departure a few days ago of the Argentine Navy’s icebreaker Almirante Irízar from the port of Ushuaia marked the beginning of the second stage of the 2022-2023 Antarctic Summer Campaign (CAV).
While the arrival of the notice ARA Puerto Argentino ended the second phase of the XXIV Combined Naval Antarctic Patrol (Panac).
In the port of Ushuaia, the transport ARA Canal Beagle joined the ARA Almirante Irízar to transship specific cargo destined for the icebreaker.
Both ships set course for Antarctica.
The icebreaker will supply bases and evacuate historical waste, focusing on the withdrawal of personnel from Orcadas and Belgrano II, where the installation of the platform that will support the two satellite antennas begin.
On board, the Irízar are specialists from the Naval Hydrography Service (SHN) monitoring the ice floe that broke away from the Brunt ice barrier.
The ARA Canal Beagle will head north of the Antarctic Peninsula to resupply the Carlini Base; it will reopen and resupply the Cámara Base and transfer cargo to the ARA Estrecho de San Carlos to resupply the Esperanza, Petrel, and San Martín bases.
Then it will head to Buenos Aires to complete the necessary cargo for the icebreaker and the ARA Estrecho de San Carlos to carry out the third stage of the CAV.
END OF THE SECOND STAGE OF THE PANAC
The arrival of the ARA Puerto Argentino at the port of Ushuaia ended the second stage of the PANAC.
The ship will remain in the port of Tierra del Fuego until the end of February as an Antarctic support vessel.
During this stage, besides fulfilling the role of an Antarctic service vessel, it supported CAV by transporting scientists and military personnel to different Antarctic bases and contributed to the withdrawal of waste from the white continent.
On Feb. 27, it will resume its patrol until Mar. 31, relieving the Chilean Navy’s offshore tug ATF Galvarino.