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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE...
July 23, 2010, Providence, RI. Members of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) pushed forward with several major initiatives at their 21st Annual Meeting, held June 21-24 in Turin, Italy.
These included a planned educational outreach campaign to non-IAATO Antarctic-bound yachts; the continued commitment to developing the tiered risk assessment project for ship-based tourism operators; and agreement on new procedures designed to protect the Antarctic environment from non-native species.
More than 100 members, government representatives and Antarctica-related organizations from 15 countries attended the four-day meeting.
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January 20, 2010, New York, NY, USA. Initial photographs taken by divers in Ushuaia, Argentina in early January suggested that the damage to Clelia II's starboard propeller, sustained when it hit rocks off Petermann Island in the Antarctic Peninsula, might be reparable.
However, when the ship was pulled out of the water in dry-dock in Punta Arenas, Chile, this initial assessment was discovered to be overly optimistic, with a full replacement of the propeller required. On receiving this news, and knowing that acquisition of a new propeller would require approximately seven weeks, Travel Dynamics International made the decision to cancel the balance of Clelia II's 2009-10 Antarctic season.
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January 4, 2010, Providence, RI, USA. One of Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions' (ALE) passengers fell ill at the South Pole, Thursday, December 31, 2009, while on a tourist visit to the Geographic South Pole. The ALE physician accompanying the visit managed the client with the assistance of the medical staff and facilities at the US Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.
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January 4, 2010, New York, NY, USA. At approximately 16:30 local time (GMT -3) on December 26, 2009, in preparation for a passenger landing, Clelia II was positioned in the usual landing cove at Petermann Island, Penola Strait, Antarctic Peninsula. At the time, seas were calm, with no swell or wind, and visibility was clear with light overcast.
A stronger-than-anticipated southerly current pushed the ship toward the island. Efforts by the officer of the watch to correct the situation failed, and the starboard propeller struck some rocks.
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November 19, 2009, Providence, RI, USA. Quark Expeditions reported today that the icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov has successfully navigated the pack ice of the Weddell Sea and is now in open water, on the way to Ushuaia, Argentina.
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November 16, 2009, Ushuaia, Argentina. Kaptian Khlebnikov's scheduled return to port in Ushuaia, Argentina today, November 16, 2009, has been delayed due to weather and heavy pack ice conditions in the Weddell Sea.
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October 9, 2009, Providence, RI. The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) made further recommendations today, designed to enhance marine safety on vessels operated by its members. The additional directives were the outcome of a mid-September meeting in London, UK of the IAATO Marine Committee, and follow recommendations approved earlier this year by the association’s membership.
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Following further consideration of the "Report of Investigation in the Matter of Sinking of Passenger Vessel EXPLORER (O.N. 8495) 23 November 2007 in the Bransfield Strait near the South Shetland Islands" and related documents, the IAATO Marine Committee recommends the following actions for their vessel operators:
- Review weather, ice and routeing information services to ensure the most appropriate available information is provided in a timely manner to their vessel (s).
- Carry out a regular review of company procedures, including emergency response, to ensure all persons involved have a clear understanding of current Antarctic requirements.
- Operators should stay abreast of, and consider use of, continued technological developments, such as forward-looking sonar and ECDIS.
- Ensure onboard drill schedules include regular damage control scenarios related to ice damage. Control measures should consider the implications of cold weather environments.
- When entering the Southern Ocean, make sure that passenger and crew attention is drawn to the necessity for suitable clothing in conditions that can be severe and inhospitable. Operators of SOLAS passenger vessels also should take action to strongly encourage passengers to observe the weekly crew abandon ship drill and fire drill (see SOLAS Paragraph B Chapter III Regulation 30.2).
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September 1, 2009 - FIFTY YEARS AGO, representatives of 12 nations gathered in Washington to sign a treaty designating all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees South Latitude as a nuclear-free zone dedicated to the pursuit of science and other peaceful purposes. Signed on Dec. 1, 1959, the Antarctic Treaty came into force on June 23, 1961. The 12 original signatories - Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States - were those nations active in Antarctica during the International Geophysical Year of 1957-58. The treaty now has 47 parties, 28 of which have consultative (or voting) status.
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June 26, 2009, Providence, RI. The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) took action to further enhance marine safety among its vessel-operating members at its annual meeting earlier this month in Providence, RI, USA. Members also recognized that climate change poses the most significant threat to the Antarctic environment, and created a working group to investigate methods to further reduce tourism’s carbon footprint, and to raise awareness among passengers of its implications.
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The IAATO Marine Committee proposed the following actions, which were subsequently adopted at the 20th Annual Meeting, and which were precipitated by the "Report of Investigation in the Matter of Sinking of Passenger Vessel EXPLORER (O.N. 8495) 23 November 2007 in the Bransfield Strait near the South Shetland Islands," and other recent incidents.
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April 14, 2009 – Baltimore, MD. The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) provided additional comments today on the final report from The Republic of Liberia, Bureau of Maritime Affairs on the sinking of the MV Explorer. The comments were made during the report's discussion at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting XXXII, being held in Baltimore, MD.
"For all those involved in Antarctic shipping operations – especially passenger shipping operations – the Decision of the Commissioner of Maritime Affairs and the Report of Investigation in the Matter of Sinking of Passenger Vessel MV Explorer makes for very sober reading," noted Steve Wellmeier, executive director of IAATO.
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April 8, 2009 – Providence, RI.
The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) welcomes the final report from The Republic of Liberia, Bureau of Maritime Affairs on the sinking of the MV Explorer.
Antarctic Treaty governments, the travel industry and other maritime organizations have for some time awaited the official report, which analyzes the causes and circumstances surrounding the November 23, 2007 sinking of the 100-passenger expedition vessel, near the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. Liberia is the maritime flag state under which the MV Explorer was registered, and was responsible for investigating the incident and compiling the official document.
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1600 UTC, 23 February, 2009
Details of incident:04:30 UTC / 01:30
Local Time, 17 February
Marguerite Bay,
Antarctica
68° 08' S, 67° 06' W.
Please see the link below for the latest press release from Quark Expeditions regarding the MV Ocean Nova.
Both the Ocean Nova and Clipper Adventurer
(the vessel onto which the Ocean Nova passengers
were transferred last week in Marguerite Bay) returned
to Ushuaia Sunday, February 22.
Further details can be found in the
release.
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full report
1400 UTC, 18 February, 2009
Marguerite Bay, Antarctica
68° 08' S, 67° 06' W.
Time of incident: 04:30 UTC / 01:30 Local Time, 17
February
Continuing high winds thwarted the
attempt to dislodge M/V Ocean Nova made at midnight
local time (03:00 UTC). Another attempt will be made
at the next high tide, which is noon local time (15:00
UTC). All aboard continue to be safe and there is
still no sign of leakage of any kind. Quark does
not anticipate any environmental impact.
Guests aboard have been able to communicate
with distant family members. They await the imminent
arrival of Quark's M/V Clipper Adventurer. If Ocean
Nova is not dislodged at the noon high tide, then
all passengers will be transferred to Clipper Adventurer.
The Spanish naval vessel B.I.O. Hespérides
continues to wait nearby to assist, if necessary.
Spanish divers will inspect the hull of M/V Ocean
Nova, when the ship is clear of the rocks.
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full report
1200 UTC, 17 February, 2009
Marguerite Bay, Antarctica
68° 08' S, 67° 06' W.
Time of incident: 04:30 UTC / 01:30 Local Time
Due to unfavorable weather conditions, Captain Per
Gravesen was not able to dislodge M/V Ocean Nova at
16:00 UTC / 13:00 Local Time. The next high tide
will occur at midnight local time (03:00 UTC), when
a second attempt will be made. Also, the Spanish
naval vessel Hespérides will be alongside
at that time to assist, if necessary. All guests,
staff, crew and officers remain safe.
As a contingency, M/V Clipper Adventurer,
a Quark vessel, is steaming toward M/V Ocean
Nova. Should, M/V Ocean Nova not dislodge
with the tide, all passengers aboard will be transferred
to this vessel. Patrick Shaw, president of Quark
Expeditions, said "the safety and comfort of our
guests are forefront in all our decisions."
Captain Per Gravesen
Former Danish naval officer, Captain Per Gravesen
worked for the Royal Greenland Trade Company as
navigator, then ultimately as captain. He brings
almost a quarter-century of polar navigation to M/V
Ocean Nova.
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full report
1400 UTC, 17 February, 2009
On February 17, 2009, M/V Ocean Nova grounded at position 68° 08' S, 67°06'
W, in Marguerite Bay, west of Debenham Island, approximately two kilometers
from the Argentine research station San Martin. An initial assessment of damage
indicated that there was no imminent danger and no threat to lives. There is no
sign of leakage of any kind from the vessel. No environmental damage is
anticipated. As a precaution, Captain Per Gravesen, of M/V Ocean Nova issued
a distress signal, which was recognized by the Argentine emergency services.
Currently the situation remains stable and passengers are enjoying
the regularly scheduled lecture program. The next high tide will be at 16:00
UTC / 13:00 Local Time at which time we expect to be dislodged. Three vessels
are en route to assist if required. As of 13:26 UTC /10:26 Local Time Hespedrides
(a Spanish naval vessel) was 4 hours out; Castillo (an Argentine hydrographic
vessel) was 12 hours out, and Clipper Adventurer, one of Quark's fleet in the
vicinity, was on stand-by.
Onboard M/V Ocean Nova are:
64 passengers and 41 crew, including ship's staff comprising:
21 Americans, 7 Canadians, 7 Australians, 4 Germans, 5 Irish, 5 South Africans,
2 Argentineans, 17 Britons, 3 Dutch, 1 Swiss, 3 New Zealanders, 3 Danish, including
the Captain, 18 Pilipino, 1 Romanian, 2 Ukrainians, 1 Panamanian, 1 Guatemalan,
1 Columbian, 1 Russian, 1 Indonesian, 1 Honduran
Weather conditions at the site are currently:
40-50 knot winds, moderating in the afternoon, becoming southerly.
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full report
1500 UTC, 16 December, 2008
The MV Ushuaia has successfully crossed the Drake Passage and arrived at the Magellan Strait/
Possession Bay Pilot Station at 2100UTC / 1800LT December 15.
Having waited for several days in the sheltered waters of Half Moon Island in the South Shetlands
for suitable weather conditions, the vessel's operators received permission to proceed Friday
evening, December 12, and began the crossing the following morning. Also on the northbound
crossing were IAATO-member vessels Akademik Ioffe of Quark Expeditions and the National
Geographic Explorer of Lindblad Expeditions. Radio communication between the MV Ushuaia
and these other passenger vessels, as well as the Chilean Navy, was made every two hours
during the transit. In addition, on December 14, the Argentine naval vessel Aviso Castillo made a
visual inspection of the MV Ushuaia, looking for leaking fuel. No additional spillage was seen or
reported during this rendezvous.
The MV Ushuaia waited at Pilot Station/Possession Bay for another underwater inspection
scheduled for Tuesday morning during daylight hours. After the inspection, the MV Ushuaia will
enter dry dock in Punta Arenas, tentatively on December 16. Antarpply Expeditions, operator of
the vessel, expects the repair work to be finished soon and is doing its utmost to get MV Ushuaia
back in operation on December 28, otherwise latest for the January 7 voyage. The January,
February and March voyages will operate as
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2100 UTC, 9 December, 2008
At 2245 UTC / 1945 LT on December 8, the Chilean Naval Vessel Lautaro and MV Ushuaia
sailed into Leith Cove, in the NE part of Paradise Harbor, to anchor in its sheltered waters to
allow Navy divers to inspect the hull. As the cove was full of ice, both vessels moved to another
anchorage off Presidente Gonzalez Videla Station (Chile), This site is also known as Waterboat
Point. There, divers from the Lautaro completed an inspection of the damage to the hull.
According to the reports of the divers, the ship's hull was in a good condition; the damage found
would not affect either the vessel's navigability or the environment. It also is believed that the fuel
remaining in the punctured tanks is sufficiently buffered by seawater, which had entered the tanks
early in the grounding, to not leak any further. Indeed, no further oil residue has been seen on the
water surface by naval observers. At 0340 UTC / 0040 LT on 9 December, the captain of the
Lautaro informed the captain of MV Ushuaia that he had received the order to release the MV
Ushuaia from MRCC in Punta Arenas.
At 0345UTC / 0045LT, the MV Ushuaia weighed anchor, and by 0400/0100LT had moved into
the Gerlache Strait. At 0430UTC / 0130LT, the captain of the MV Ushuaia received the order from
the vessel owners to sail towards the South Shetland Islands to find a safe anchorage there and
await further orders regarding the Drake Passage crossing. The vessel is currently making good
progress towards an anchorage at Half Moon Island, weather permitting. A watch is being
maintained for any further fuel spillage during the passage and when the vessel arrives at the
anchorage in the South Shetlands.
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1400 UTC, 8 December, 2008
On the afternoon of 7 December, the crew of the MV Ushuaia and the crew of the Chilean Naval
Tug Lautaro started to transfer 120 cm of diesel from MV Ushuaia to storage tanks of the Lautaro
and 100cm of fresh water was discharged into the sea. This was done to improve the buoyancy
of the MV Ushuaia. Transferring fuel off the vessel also reduced the potential for additional
spillage should anything go wrong with the refloating.
Efforts to refloat the vessel began at high tide (approximately 0400UTC/0100LT). The vessel was
fully free at 0545UTC/0245LT. Escorted by Lautaro, MV Ushuaia is making her way under her
own steam towards Paradise Bay. No oil has been seen leaking from the vessel while underway;
however, this could be due to wind and wave action causing any fuel leaked to be rapidly
dispersed. To minimize any further oil spill, fuel from the damaged tanks is being transferred into
tanks that are not compromised. Once the MV Ushuaia is in the relatively sheltered waters of
Paradise Bay, a further inspection of the hull will take place.
The passenger vessels MV Ocean Nova and MV Polar Star were also in the vicinity during the
refloating and ready to provide additional assistance if required.
The passengers of the MV Ushuaia, having been flown to the port city of Ushuaia on Saturday,
December 6, had a final day of activities in Tierra del Fuego National Park yesterday and a
farewell gathering last night before starting their journeys homewards today.
view full press release
2200 UTC, 6 December, 2008
Photo credit: Argentine Navy
At 1130 UTC/ 0830 LT the first group of 39 passengers and three staff started disembarking from the
Aquiles at Eduardo Frei Station (Chile), Maxwell Bay, King George Island. There they boarded the
Argentine C-130 Hercules aircraft that delivered them safely back to the city of Ushuaia, Tierra del
Fuego. The plane arrived into Ushuaia at 1530 UTC/ 1230LT and the group was given a warm
welcome back to "dry land". Those passengers reported the excellent hospitality onboard the
Chilean Naval vessel Aquiles and gave their thanks for everyone involved in their safe repatriation.
The operator of MV Ushuaia, Antarpply Expeditions, has made arrangements for the passengers' full
board accommodation in Ushuaia for two nights and excursions, and on 8 December - the day the
cruise was due to finish - they will continue with their original onward plans.
The Argentine C-130 Hercules aircraft then returned to King George Island to pick up the remaining
43 passengers and two staff, and they arrived safely into Ushuaia at 2120UTC / 1820LT.
Regarding the MV Ushuaia, the Chilean Naval Tug Lautaro completed an inspection of the vessel,
including sending divers to establish the extent of the damage. The propellers and rudders remain
undamaged. A plan to refloat the vessel is being developed.
Argentina sent a second flight to assess the oil spilling from the vessel on Friday 5th December. Visual
reports still indicate a spill in the vicinity of the vessel of c. 50 x 500m. The wind continues to the oil in the direction away from the two closest wildlife sites and towards more open water.
view full press release
1500 UTC, 5 December, 2008
Photo credit: Argentine Navy
At 0530 LT / 0830 UTC, all passengers plus five staff and their luggage were transferred from the
MV Ushuaia to the Chilean Naval Vessel Achiles, using Zodiac landing craft from the MV Ushuaia
and the MV Antarctic Dream. An additional Zodiac landing craft from the Achiles with a rescue
team and a diver was also on standby. The crew of the MV Ushuaia plus two staff of Antarpply
Expeditions, the operator of the MV Ushuaia, remain aboard the grounded vessel.
The passengers are settled in their new accommodation and were very appreciative of the
welcome and breakfast with which the crew of the Achiles greeted them. At 0930 LT / 1230UTC,
the Achiles left the vicinity of the MV Ushuaia and is now underway towards Eduardo Frei Station
(Chile), Maxwell Bay, King George Island.
view full press release
4 December, 2008
On 04 December, 2008, MV Ushuaia grounded at position 64º35.5S 062º25'W, at the entrance
of Wilhelmina Bay, near Cape Anna. An initial assessment of damage indicated that while there
was no imminent danger and no threat to life, it would be precautionary to transfer passengers to
another vessel before trying to refloat the MV Ushuaia. Captain Jorge Aldegheri of the MV
Ushuaia contacted the closest vessel, MV Antarctic Dream, which was 7NM away to come to
their assistance. The relevant Marine Rescue Coordination Centers (MRCCs) were also duly
informed: MRCC Ushuaia (Argentina) is coordinating with MRCC Punta Arenas (Chile).
Currently the situation remains stable. The Antarctic Dream is standing by at the site ready to
assist if conditions change and other passenger vessels in the area including National
Geographic Explorer, Grigory Mikheev, Professor Multanovskiy, Ocean Nova, Polar Star and
Polar Pioneer are all in contact with the MV Ushuaia and ready to assist if required. The Chilean
Naval vessel Achiles and Chilean Naval Tug Lautaro are en route to the scene to offer further
assistance. The current intention is for the passengers of the MV Ushuaia to board the Chilean
Naval vessel Achiles tomorrow morning to start their repatriation.
view full press release
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