MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Antarctica cruise season begins in Ushuaia; 225 calls anticipated this year

Ushuaia gateway to Antarctica expects heavy traffic this season

With the departure last week of icebreaker “Kapitan Khlebnikov” (*), Ushuaia marked the beginning of the Antarctica cruise season. Located in the extreme south of Argentina Ushuaia has become the gateway for Antarctic cruises virtually monopolizing 92% of the traffic

“Of the 46 cruise vessels which operate in summer months from Ushuaia, 33 travel to Antarctica totalling 225 calls out of the 320 calls which are scheduled for this season, making us the main gateway to the white continent”, said Pablo Pfurr, president of the Tierra del Fuego Tourism Institute, Infuetur.

During the 2007/08 season an estimated 44.000 cruise tourists visited Antarctica all of them through Ushuaia at the start or end of the trip, according to Infuetur.

The 2009/10 Antarctica season begun October 23rd with “Kapitan Khlebnikov” from Quark Expeditions, and will come to an end on April 2nd 2010 with the Russian flagged “Molchanov” carrying 52 passengers”.

The following cruise for Antarctica, “Ocean Nova” leaves from the Argentine port November 3 with 68 passengers. That will be followed by “Clipper Adventurer”, 100 passengers on November 4.

Pfurr said most vessels travelling to Antarctica are relatively small, 80 to 150 metres long, carrying on average between 50 and 90 passengers, while some of them are also described as scientific cruises.

Among these cruise vessels is also “Ushuaia” which can carry 90 passengers and belongs to a totally Argentine company Antarpply Expeditions.

Gustavo Robles general manager of Tierra del Fuego ports and harbours Authority said that “vessels travelling to Antarctica have to be rather small with good manoeuvrability because the trips are very demanding, almost an adventure”.

“Crossing the strait of Drake can be rough. You have two oceans coming together with very impressive waves. Usually when crossing the question is ‘what am I doing here’ until you actually reach Antarctica and the spectacular sightseeing begins”, indicated Robles.

The Tierra del Fuego provincial officer is a strong promoter of Antarctic cruises and tourism because of the financial benefits and jobs it helps create for Ushuaia.

“When I took over the Tierra del Fuego ports authority in 1992, 95% of all trips to Antarctica left from Punta Arenas. Now it’s exactly the opposite and we only have to convince eight countries which continue to use the Chilean port”, indicated Robles.

He admitted Punta Arenas is well equipped, with good logistics and excellent services, and Ushuaia is gradually reaching that quality service. However, operating from Ushuaia saves on a day of sailing and fuel plus an extra day to enjoy sightseeing.

“Every two years when the Antarctic treaty discussion, Argentina is best positioned since we have become the main gateway to Antarctica” underlines Robles who also points out the “strategic value of such a position”.

(*) Kapitan Khlebnikov was completed in Finland in 1981 as one of five Kapitan Sorokin class icebreakers. She was refitted in 1990 as a tour ship and was the first ship to circumnavigate Antarctica with passengers in 1996-97. She’s 122metres long and carries 112 passengers and 70 crew members.

In February 2006 the Kapitan Khlebnikov reached the Bay of Whales in the Antarctic, reaching 78° 40.871' south and equaling the record set by Roald Amundsen in the Fram in 1911.