MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine icebreaker Almirante Irizar back to sea in 30 months

Icebreaker Almirante Irizar

Argentina's icebreaker and backbone of its Antarctic effort, Almirante Irizar, will again be operational in 30 months time following an estimated investment of 100 million US dollars, announced Monday Defence minister Nilda Garré.

The Irizar caught fire at the end of the 2006/07 Antarctic season in mid South Atlantic and was an almost complete loss. Fortunately there was no loss of life during the incident. Minister Garré said that the refurbishing and recovery of the Finnish built vessel will be done at the local Tandanor shipyard. Ms Garré made the announcement during the ceremony at the Argentine Foreign Affairs Ministry to commemorate the 105th uninterrupted anniversary of Argentina's presence in Antarctica. At the ceremony Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Taiana announced the rebuilding of the Jubany Antarctic base, one of Argentina's six permanent outposts which is involved in scientific research and, he said, will be contracting more experts. "We're almost at the end of the reconstruction of the Jubany base and we feel it's the most austral office of our Foreign Ministry. The main lab building is ready and the housing we expect to finish it by the end of the summer", said Minister Taiana. Argentina's Antarctic Institute depends from the Foreign Affairs ministry. Taiana also announced that he communications system of all of Argentina's bases and stations in Antarctica is being updated with improved phone and radio plus broad band. Both Taiana and Ms Garré underlined that Antarctica and the annual Antarctic campaigns are "a State policy" which "our government is committed to honour and consolidate". Taiana said that another 70 full time scientists will be contracted for Antarctic research and thanked the Argentine Armed Forces for their "logistic support to science and research". Ms. Garré revealed that during the last campaign. 6.000 tons of cargo and equipment were transported to Argentine Antarctic bases and stations, involving 1.800 personnel. This was equivalent to 600 flight hours and 37.000 nautical miles navigation. The ceremony was attended besides the two ministers and their staffs by diplomats from countries belonging to the Antarctic Treaty, Argentine Armed Forces chiefs of staff and special guests such as General Jorge Leal, the first Argentine to reach the South Pole, in 1965, by land.