site.btaRSV 421 to Carry Out Scientific Research Projects in Black Sea in Summer 2024

During the summer, the Bulgarian naval research vessel Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii (RSV 421) will carry out a variety of scientific projects in the Black Sea, Naval Academy Rector Fleet Admiral Boyan Mednikarov said in Varna on Thursday. According to him, the vessel is currently entering for repairs, which will last about a month. Then the ship will undergo the so-called naval training cycle, during which it will pass two course assignments, Mednikarov said.

During this summer, the ship will also perform research tasks on projects implemented by the Naval Academy, Mednikarov added. He said these are mostly related to monitoring the marine environment and collecting data on the sea condition. In the autumn, part of the ship's crew will also undergo theoretical training related to polar voyages. Mednikarov stressed that this is the first year that the Antarctic route course, which normally involves navigation officers, will be held in Bulgaria. Until now, their training took place in Argentina. Now, however, Admiral Marcelo Tarapov, professor emeritus at the Naval Academy, will arrive here to take charge of training the new officers in the intricacies of polar navigation in the Southern Ocean.

According to the plan, new equipment will be installed on the ship in autumn and it will be ready for another mission to Livingston Island in October.

The ship's equipment is continuously being upgraded, Mednikarov said. According to him, the vessel's logistical tasks will now gradually begin to give way to scientific ones.