FESCO Transportation Group and India’s National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research have renewed the contract for the supply and delivery to the Indian Antarctic research stations in 2020-2021. This will be the third expedition under the contract with NCPOR, FESCO says in a press release.
The icebreaker Vasiliy Golovnin will start a new voyage from Cape Town (South Africa) at the end of December 2020. The vessel will deliver general cargo, food and fuel to the Indian stations Bharati and Maitri, and take the written-off equipment, technical and domestic waste out. NCPOR scientists will also join the expedition to carry out research activities. Two helicopters and a self-propelled barge will operate from the vessel to unload the cargo on the unequipped shore. The voyage will last until April 2021.
The contract between FESCO and the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) of the Ministry of Geography of India for the supply of Antarctic stations was signed in October 2018. All necessary repairs were carried out and additional equipment was installed to implement the project on the vessel. The certificate of a polar navigation vessel, issued by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping, confirms that the vessel Vasiliy Golovnin is ready for the upcoming polar voyage. Moreover, FESCO has received special permission from the Ministry of Natural resources and ecology of the Russian Federation to carry out activities in Antarctica.
FESCO has vast experience in working in Antarctica and has repeatedly participated in government projects to supply research stations in the USA, Australia, UK, Chile and Argentina.