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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, October 20th 2025 - 16:20 UTC

Antarctica

  • Saturday, March 25th 2017 - 09:21 UTC

    Icebreaker Almirante Irizar ready to begin sea trials after a decade in repairs

    Malcorra and Martinez before boarding for a tour of the recovered icebreaker Almirante Irizar

    Argentine foreign and defense ministers Susana Malcorra and Julio Martínez toured on Friday the recently repaired and refurbished Navy's icebreaker and Antarctica flagship, Almirante Irizar which a decade ago almost became a wreck after she caught fire on return from the annual Antarctic mission.

  • Friday, March 10th 2017 - 07:21 UTC

    BAS scientific research survey of South Georgia fish resources

    Dr Mark Belchier holds a Patagonian toothfish (Pic BAS)

    Every two years BAS leads a scientific research survey of the fish resources on behalf of the Government of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands. This time Dr. Mark Belchier from BAS was head of the team of experts that carried out the survey.

  • Monday, March 6th 2017 - 10:53 UTC

    UK's Signy Station on South Orkney Islands, hottest place in Antarctica

    The +19.8°C (67.6°F) measured at BAS Signy Research Station on South Orkney Islands on 30 January 1982 is a record for the Antarctic region

    A World Meteorological Organization (WMO) committee of experts announced on March first, new records for the highest temperatures recorded in the Antarctic Region. The results are part of continuing efforts to expand a database of extreme weather and climate conditions throughout the world.

  • Thursday, March 2nd 2017 - 07:31 UTC

    HM Commissioner hosts South Georgia stakeholders on 12-day visit

    The visit takes place on board the Government’s logistics and fishery patrol vessel MV Pharos SG and will have a particular focus on the natural environment.

    HM Commissioner for South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands, Colin Roberts CVO, departed this week for a 12-day visit to the UK Overseas Territory accompanied by representatives of some of South Georgia’s key stakeholder organizations. The information was reported in the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands Newsletter.

  • Sunday, February 26th 2017 - 09:19 UTC

    Argentine-Chilean Antarctic inspectors check BAS Rothera base

    The bi-national team at Rothera next to the aircraft used for the inspection tour

    A team or Argentine and Chilean experts have visited Czech and British bases in Antarctica as part of the routine inspection of environment and security operations, in the framework of the Antarctic Treaty. The Argentine foreign ministry reported that the inspections took place for the second consecutive year between 19 January and 25 February.

  • Thursday, February 23rd 2017 - 08:02 UTC

    Argentina commemorates 113 years in Antarctica

    “Antarctica policy is one of the few State policies that continues despite time and different governments, and gives it sustainability”, said minister Julio Martínez

    Argentine Antarctica Day was commemorated on Wednesday February 22 with different events recalling the day, 113 years ago when the country's flag was first flown in a met station in Laurie Island, in the south Orkneys. Since then, 1904, Argentina's presence south of 60o. has been uninterrupted, said Argentine defense minister Julio Martínez at the main celebration in the Foreign Affairs ministry.

  • Monday, February 20th 2017 - 21:27 UTC

    South Georgia gentoo penguins feed preferably on krill, shows 22 year BAS study

    The team, based at BAS, found that between 1989 and 2010 gentoo penguins ate approximately equal amounts of crustaceans, (mainly Antarctic krill) and fish. (Pic BAS)

    The longest and most comprehensive study to date of what penguins eat is published this month. The study, published in the journal Marine Biology, examines the diets of gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) at Bird Island, South Georgia over a 22 year period and is part of a project investigating the Southern Ocean ecosystem and its response to change

  • Monday, February 20th 2017 - 20:00 UTC

    Summer sea ice in Antarctica is the lowest on record

    This year, sea ice extent contracted to 2.28m sq km on 13 February, according to data from the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC).

    This year the extent of summer sea ice in the Antarctic is the lowest on record. The Antarctic sea ice minimum marks the day – typically towards end of February – when sea ice reaches its smallest extent at the end of the summer melt season, before expanding again as the winter sets in. This year, sea ice extent contracted to 2.28m sq km on 13 February, according to data from the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC).

  • Monday, February 20th 2017 - 19:17 UTC

    New 130 meters long krill fishing vessel to operate in Antarctica

    “The ship's operations will be energy efficient, with a bio-refinery capable of processing raw krill material in the Antarctic,” said Webjørn Eikrem

    Aker Bio Marine has signed a contract with Vard shipyard to design and construct a modern krill fishing vessel that will operate in the Antarctic. The ship, which is 130m-long, 23m-wide, will be also equipped with environmentally friendly technologies. The hull of the vessel will be built by Vard's Tulcea, Romania, shipyard.

  • Monday, February 13th 2017 - 16:41 UTC

    Argentina expects at least 15 million tons of wheat from the 2016/17 crop

    Argentine farmers likely planted 5.19 million hectares with wheat this year, the Agriculture Ministry said. Argentine wheat is harvested in December and January.

    Argentine farmers are expected to harvest at least 15 million tons of wheat in the 2016/17 crop year versus 11.3 million in the previous season, Agriculture Minister Ricardo Buryaile said last week. Wheat planting in Argentina expanded dramatically when President Mauricio Macri eliminated export taxes soon after his December inauguration.