MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine private Antarctic charter cruise

The first Argentine private charter cruise vessel sailed last weekend from Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego for its maiden voyage to the Antarctic with a group of Ukrainian scientists and officials who will be doing research work and supplying the Vernasky base, formally belonging to the British under the name of Faraday.

"Ushuaia" is a former United States 85 metres long oceanographic vessel, built in 1970 and refurbished last year in Mar del Plata to stand Antarctic waters that can sail at a speed of 13,5 knots with a 13,000 nautical miles or 42 days autonomy.

She belongs to Antarpply a Ushuaia registered company made up of seven partners, five of them former Argentine merchant navy officers and residents in Tierra del Fuego who managed to collect three million US dollars for the investment that was delayed a couple of years because of Argentina's financial crisis.

"We've targeted a niche that foreign operators tend to exploit, but since we reside and work from Ushuaia we're more experienced and cheaper. This season we began with the Ukrainians; in mid February we've been contracted by a British non profit organization to take them to South Shetland islands. Next season we will go directly for the Antarctic tourist operation", said Gustavo Martínez, one of the partners of the company.

Mr. Martínez said that Ushuaia concentrates most of the world's Antarctic season tourist operations with approximately 30 vessels completing 130 to 150 Antarctic cruises. During February Ushuaia will be receiving 27 cruises with 14,000 visitors, among which some of the largest such as the "Norwegian Dream", "Black Watch", "Marco Polo", "Zenith", "Ryndan" plus "Hanseatic" and "Professor Multnovsky"

"We also have offices in Buenos Aires where we are in contact with the Antarctic Treaty representatives and the Antarctic Tour Operators", added Mr. Martínez.

When asked about the Falklands, Mr. Martínez said that the "Ushuaia" under the command of Captain Jorge Aldegheri could very well be the first Argentine private cargo and passenger vessel to visit Port Stanley.

"We're contemplated under the recent British-Argentine agreement regarding private vessels, and we sail where we are contracted to go".