The British Antarctic Survey ship ‘RRS Sir David Attenborough’ has departed on a five-week voyage from the UK to Antarctica, marking the start of the new Antarctic field season.
The new season brings a full schedule of ambitious science, deep-field exploration and major infrastructure milestones across the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic. Over the next seven months, researchers and operational teams will deliver more than 60 science projects across five BAS research stations, aboard RRS Sir David Attenborough and at several deep-field and marine locations.
As part of BAS’ work to decarbonise, the polar research vessel is making the journey using hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) – a biofuel helping to reduce the organisation’s carbon footprint. Along the 6,000 naut-mile voyage the ship will call at Montevideo, Uruguay and onward to Antarctica. Cargo carried includes supplies for the polar research stations.
Image: ‘RRS Sir David Attenborough’ (source: British Antarctic Survey)
