Personal and cargo transportation for Syowa Station by the 50th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition using the icebreaker "Aurora Australis"

Abstract

The personnel and cargo transportation activities in the 2008-2009 austral summer for Syowa Station by the 50th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE-50) are reported. The Antarctic operations for 25 years by the first icebreaker "Shirase" ended with the JARE-49 activity and she was retired in April 2009. The third leg of icebreaker "Aurora Australis" in 2008 2009 season was chartered through the Australian Antarctic Division for the supply of JARE-50. The vessel arrived at the edge of drift sea ice on January 12, 2009. JARE-50 wintering personnel (28 persons) and some expeditioners for summer operations such as construction work were transported to the Station. Then, the vessel reached the edge of fast ice at about 40 nautical miles from Syowa Station and continued the transportation by three helicopters on board. The total transported cargo was 91.8 tons. JARE-49 wintering personnel (29 persons), JARE-50 summer persons and cargo were taken in the vessel on February 2, 2009. The voyage lasted 53 days, including 23 days within sea ice. The vessel departed immediately toward the north on that day and arrived in Hobart on February 20. The containers were returned to Japan by sea transportation.