MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

More funds for Chilean Antarctic research

The Chilean Antarctic Institute and the Chilean Science and Technology Council are sponsoring with World Bank funding multi-disciplinary Antarctic research rings announced in Punta Arenas Jose Retamales, head of the Chilean Antarctic office.

"It's the biggest scientific research boost we've had in twenty years", said Mr. Retamales who revealed that the total sum for this coming season 2005/06 will be well above the million US dollars.

Chilean Antarctic research is normally funded from different sources, domestic and overseas universities; specific projects; joint undertakings with overseas institutions plus contributions from the national and regional (Magallanes) budgets and the Chilean Armed Forces who usually participate with the logistics.

The World Bank support is equivalent to 400,000 US dollars annually and will help fund two main three year research projects with a budget in the range of 200,000 US dollars each, involving universities sciences departments and in the framework of the International Polar Year 2007/08.

"This will also enable us to contract in the coming seasons an oceanographic vessel and upgrade the whole Antarctic research", indicated Mr. Retamales who added his goal was to double the research funds and motivate further Antarctic research in Chilean universities.

The Chilean Antarctic Institute is also in talks with the German Science and Technology Ministry for a cooperation agreement which will include the Alfred Wegener Institute that manages the polar research vessel "Polarstern".

The German flagged "Polarstern" returned last season to Chile and has a full schedule of Antarctic operations from Punta Arenas extending until 2010.