The icebreaker ARA Almirante Irízar (RHAI) it’s found “in the best conditions” for the Antarctic Summer Campaign 2022/2023 after “responding as planned” to the machine tests and training that its crew carried out in the Argentine Sea in recent days.
During the five days of systems evaluation and training in the Argentine Seaa few miles from Mar del Plata, Part of the ship’s crew gave Télam details of how the tests carried out on the high seas turned out.
“We carry out abandonment, fire-fighting, damage control, man-overboard and small-vessel exercises. We also perform aircraft launch and recovery roles, load movement, landing and take-off practices and personnel transport practices “, listed the commander of the ARA Admiral Irízar, the frigate captain Carlos Recio.
“The crew, the staff and the commander adjust their roles and train the crew to be in the best conditions to face the campaign in Antarctica”
The icebreaker is already in the Buenos Aires Naval Station waiting to set sail for the Summer Antarctic campaign that takes place every year since December, and which has the objective of supplying the seven bases that the country has on the white continent.
“The Irizar is in the best conditions and I fully trust my people, who are fully involved in their work. The people are proud to belong to the icebreaker,” Commander Recio stressed.
In that line, The head of Naval Material, Navy Lieutenant Federico Ozan Zamora, remarked to Télam that they are preparing for “those situations” because they are the ones that “may come to pass in the next Antarctic campaign”.
“The intention is to refine and oil all these practices and bring out news in communications, procedures and roles,” he said.
For his part, The Navy Press Officer and frigate captain, Carlos Gómez Nolasco, expressed being “very happy” with the development of the tests and that “everything worked very well and responded as planned.”
“The crew, the staff and the commander adjust the roles and train the crew to be in the best conditions to face the campaign in Antarctica,” he explained, adding that during the year “there is very intense maintenance work on the ship “.
“The health area of the icebreaker is made up of a biochemistry laboratory, a dental office, an infirmary, intensive care, an operating room and intermediate care”
Likewise, The second commander of the RHAI, frigate captain Guillermo Ortega, commented that during the trip they make every summer, the ship’s crew reaches “its maximum capacity with 310 people.” becoming “a small town”.
“There are people in charge of the main machines, others of the government of the unit, the operation with the helicopters, those who feed us and those who supply us with all the necessary elements for subsistence in Antarctica in a 120-day operation. Ortega explained.
What is health like on board the Irízar?
The dentist and lieutenant of the ship José Luis Savino explained how the health area of the ship is constituted.
“The health area of the icebreaker is made up of a biochemistry laboratory, a dental office, an infirmary, intensive care, an operating room and intermediate care,” Savino described.
Around how a health emergency would be treated on board, indicated: “In the event that it cannot be transferred to land due to weather factors, he is treated here. We have the operating room, the surgeon and an anesthesiologist. The emergency would be attended on the ship.”
Regarding machine testing that the crew carried out, the chief of Propulsion, Navy Lieutenant Gabriel Cativa, maintained from “the control system” it was possible to make a survey of “how the engine is reacting”.
“We monitor the operating parameters,” he said.
In that tune, one of the tests with which the technical operation of the icebreaker is evaluated “at its maximum capacity” is through the “crash-top” maneuver.
“It is a test of the unit’s tension capacity. Propeller braking time parameters and the time in which the ship can achieve its maximum reversing capacity are measured,” explained the Chief of Engines, Lieutenant Commander David Villegas.
and completed Regarding the evaluation of the motors: “This test shows that in the worst condition the engines have held up exceptionally.”
