The campaign began on December 16, when the ship left Cartagena in demand of the Frozen Continent
The oceanographic research vessel ‘Hespérides’ went to sea on April 7 from the Argentine port of Ushuaia and, during this stopover, personnel and material from the Spanish Antarctic Bases (BAEs) ‘Gabriel de Castilla’ were unloaded and ‘Juan Carlos I’, which have been closed until the coming austral summer.
With this latest logistics operation, the ‘Hesperides’ concludes its XXVI Antarctic Campaign, part of the XXXV Spanish Antarctic Campaign, Navy sources reported in a statement.
The campaign began on December 16, when the ship left Cartagena (Murcia) in demand of the Frozen Continent, which it arrived in the second half of January after calling at Ushuaia.
The main mission of the ship has been scientific research by carrying out scientific projects on board. In this campaign, the ANTOM-II project stood out, a study on the presence of anthropogenic pollutants in the waters of the Southern Ocean.
During its execution, the ‘Hesperides’ sailed to 71º 20′ south latitude, the southernmost reached to date by a Navy ship. In addition to carrying out scientific tasks, her work has consisted of providing logistical support to the bases and to the more than 14 scientific projects that have been developed in them. Specifically, she has transferred the scientific-technical personnel –up to a total of 162 people– and the bases have been supplied with the materials and supplies necessary for their maintenance.
The ‘Hespérides’ is now sailing in demand from Salvador de Bahía (Brazil), where the technicians and researchers of its next scientific campaign, PYROWIND, will embark, to be carried out in Cape Verde waters until May 22nd.
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