The Argentine government approved this Tuesday the funds for the state shipyard Tandanor to advance, together with the Finnish consulting firm Aker Arctic, in the design and construction of a new polar ship that complements the “Almirante Irízar” icebreaker in supplying the thirteen Argentine Antarctic bases.
The project, which had begun in 2014 and was suspended during the previous government, seeks to provide the Argentine Navy with a large-capacity cargo and fuel-transport vessel that can navigate in Antarctic waters with the presence of ice and complement the icebreaker “Almirante Irízar” which during its reconstruction and modernization in Tandanor was conceived as a multipurpose ship with new scientific capabilities that are the basis of the oceanographic observatory presented last week.
The shipyard @TandanorCinar received the classification certificates for the Irízar icebreaker, obtained after its repair and modernization in the country.
The certification is issued by the Norwegian classification society Det Norske Veritas, one of the most important in the world. pic.twitter.com/0JbkyhHcwL
– Ministry of Defense (@MindefArg) December 28, 2021
The president of Tandanor, the engineer Miguel Tudino, affirmed this Tuesday in dialogue with Télam that “with Aker Arctic we now agree on the execution of the basic engineering that will be carried out jointly, much of it will be in charge of the Finnish consultancy that is responsible for the design of about 85 % of the polar ships that exist, but we are going to work in an integrated team with Tandanor’s own technical office that will work on the electrical and electronic aspects of the project “.
“We estimate that the basic engineering will take about fourteen months but at the same time we will advance in the detailed engineering thinking that the entire ship is going to be built in our shipyard; this whole process can be extended for about fifteen months in total, and then to the extent that the funds are credited we could move forward with the construction that has a planned term of about five years, “he said.
The shipyard @TandanorCinar will build a polar ship for the Argentine Navy.
“This boat is a necessity for the transfer of endowments and supplies during the Summer Antarctic Campaign,” he said. @JorgeTaiana.
?https://t.co/SSsV5H65yb pic.twitter.com/A4JH294STw
– Ministry of Defense (@MindefArg) December 28, 2021
Tudino argued that the Almirante Irízar icebreaker “is an emblem of Tandanor because with its reconstruction and modernization we received a shipyard, and with its laboratories it is now a multipurpose shipThis new polar ship is going to give Argentina the ability to supply the Antarctic bases with much greater efficiency. “
In this sense, the official commented that “currently Tandanor is finished the construction of an aluminum pontoon propelled by two outboard motors that allows unloading maritime containers from the icebreaker, it will probably be ready this month and some of the auxiliary ships of the Antarctic campaign you can bring it closer to the icebreaker so you can start using it. “
Institutions participating in the project
“For this project the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), the National Technological University (UTN), the National Defense University (Undef), the National University of Quilmes (Unqui) and the Buenos Aires Technological Institute (ITBA) so that ten students emerge from them, of which at least three can travel to Finland to accompany the design process, study there and then return and join the shipyard to build the ship “, he highlighted.
Project details
The project conceived in 2014 foresees the design and construction of a polar transport ship with an ice reinforcement classification according to the International Association of Vessel Classification Societies of “Polar Class 4” (PC4) that would allow it to operate freely in the North. from the Antarctic Peninsula with the possibility of accessing the Belgrano II Base, southeast of the Weddell Sea and about 1,300 kilometers from the South Pole, in the event of replacing the “Almirante Irízar” icebreaker.
This new ship could articulate the entire Antarctic logistics system, including the Ushuaia Integrated Base and the Petrel Joint Base; It would have a length (length) of 131.5 meters, a beam (width) of 23.6 meters, a draft of 8 meters, and could sail in free water at a speed of up to 16 knots while in waters with ice up to a meter thick could be mobilized at 2 knots.
This design would have a range of 15,000 nautical miles using its two main engines at 85 percent of their power and loaded to the design draft.
What’s more, The ship could embark the 105 members of its crew together with 25 members of the air group of the two helicopters that can operate in its hangar and 60 passengers who carry out scientific or maintenance tasks at the Argentine Antarctic bases.
This project also incorporates the use of containers in the Antarctic logistics scheme to provide greater agility throughout the refueling process and also the reverse management of the waste generated.
Words from Minister Taiana
Defense Minister Jorge Taiana stressed: “we need to have a polar ship to strengthen our presence in Antarctica. The Irízar after the repair, has yielded enough cargo capacity for the development of the scientific area and will have laboratories on board “.
“The polar ship is a necessity for the transfer of crews and supplies during the Summer Antarctic Campaign; the incorporation of this polar logistics ship will accompany the Irizar icebreaker in the task of supplying the Argentine bases in Antarctica, developing the capabilities of the Argentine Naval Industry “, he considered.
“The 21st century is a century where Argentina must enhance its projection to the sea, defend its renewable and non-renewable natural resources throughout its national territory”Jorge Taiana
Taiana remarked that “the 21st century is a century where Argentina must enhance its projection to the sea, defend its renewable and non-renewable natural resources throughout its national territory; we must have the perspective of an Argentina that looks towards the South Atlantic, towards the Islands, towards Antarctica with a bicontinental vision. This strategic vision will be the axis for the exercise of our sovereign rights and the future of a sustainable development for the country. “
Through Administrative Decision 1269/2021, published this Tuesday in the Official Gazette, the direct inter-administrative contracting of Tandanor was approved, in the context of the agreement signed between the shipyard and the Ministry on November 4, which provides for the construction of the polar ship .
The resolution, which bears the signatures of the Chief of Staff, Juan Manzur, and Taiana, assigns $ 63,525,000 pesos and 6,917,812 euros to this project.
