A scientific expedition team of 43 members are set to leave for Antarctica from Goa on January 6, reports Hindustan Times.
About the team
Scientists, engineers, doctors and technicians are members of the team and are led by three polar veterans, said Javed Beg, group director (Antarctic Operations and Infrastructure) at the National Centre for Polar and Oceanic Research (NCPOR) in Goa.
40th scientific expedition
With just half capacity
This is India’s 40th scientific expedition to Antarctica and will leave on a ship from Goa on 06th and sail to Cape Town in South Africa. According to officials, due to Covid-19 restrictions, the strength is just 43 and is less than half of the conventional strength of 100.
Medical examination
Beg said the expedition members and stand-by candidates were thoroughly examined at the government-run Goa Medical College and Hospital near here.
Institutional quarantine & sanitisation
This was followed by the institutional 14-day quarantine with multiple rounds of RT-PCR tests, supplemented by sanitisation of the cargo and upgradation of medical facilities at the Antarctica station, he said.
Formal send off
The team was given a formal send off at the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) in Vasco town of South Goa on Monday by senior officials of the NCPOR, the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), which is providing fuel for the expedition, and the India Post, which has released a special stamp to mark the occasion.
When will they reach Antarctica?
Beg said the vessel will sail from the MPT to Cape Town, from where it will reach Antarctica in about 18 days.
Two helicopters would be added to the expedition at Cape Town. The vessel will leave from there for India’s Bharati research station in Antarctica, covering the journey in around 16 days.
The vessel will then travel to the country’s other research station, Maitri, in Antarctica, he said.
The travel distance of the ship will depend on the condition of sea ice, he said.
Will relieve members
Beg said the team will also relieve 48 members from the Indian scientific expedition who are working since the last 15 months at Antarctica, while resupplying the bases (Bharati and Maitri) with food, fuel, provisions and spares for operations and maintenance of life support systems.
Fuel from India
Meanwhile, in a significant development, the Antarctica expedition is taking fuel from India after about 22 years. Till the last expedition, the fuel was taken from outside the country, an IOC official said.
IOC’s Director (Marketing) Gurmeet Singh said aviation fuel Jet A1 has been supplied in bulk for the expedition.
Fuel availability
“Now, with its association with the 40th Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica (ISEA), the corporation has earned the unique distinction of providing uninterrupted availability of petroleum products from the coldest region of the country- Leh- to the coldest region of the world- Antarctica,” he said.
Did you subscribe to our daily newsletter?
It’s Free! Click here to Subscribe!
Source: Hindustan Times
