Photos: STX Europe
have accommodation for a crew of 45 and
formation of ice is quite intense and the
rican Government’s commitment to the
some 100 researchers or passengers.
winds can be extremely harsh.”
South African National Antarctic Pro-
The bid for the new expedition ship
South African Department of Envi-
was a long and hard competition process.
ronmental Affairs is a demanding custom-
“The new ship, apart from its supply
Involved in the final round of the race there
er, since the ambitious National Antarctic
function, will be a catalyst to rebuild the
were the Dutch company Damen, Span-
Programme turned 50 years old last year.
deep-sea oceanography capacity in South
ish Astillero Barreras and Keppel Singma-
The new vessel is needed to operate be-
Africa,” Valentine says, adding that this is
rine from Singapore. Of these shipyards,
tween Cape Town and Antarctica since the
expected to attract participation of inter-
the customer considered STX Finland’s of-
existing ship was deemed too small for the
national scientists and researchers, as well.
fer the best in terms of both technical so-
expanding operations.
Through broad collaboration, one can sig-
gramme.
nificantly contribute to research projects
lutions and price.
addressing new challenges − for instance,
According to Suistio, the expertise of
Finnish shipyards as builders of demanding
FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE
Arctic and Antarctic vessels is well known
Henry Valentine, Environmental Affairs Di-
Timo Suistio says that the trade
in South Africa.
Climate Change research.
rector (Antarctica and Islands), comments
agreement is of great importance both
“One must have familiarity with Arc-
that allocating this level of funding for the
for STX Finland’s Rauma shipyard and the
tic conditions in able to be successful in
new vessel − despite the demanding eco-
trade relations between Finland and South
this kind of a project. In the Antarctic, the
nomic situation − reflects the South Af-
Africa in general.
seatec 1/2010
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