site.btaConstruction of New Research Laboratory at Bulgarian Antarctic Base in Progress

Work continues on the construction of a new scientific laboratory at the Bulgarian Antarctic Base St. Kliment Ohridski, Base Commander Kamen Nedkov told BTA. He presented the process of building the foundations of the building, which began during the 31st Bulgarian expedition to Antarctica.

"The quantity of materials for the construction of the new laboratory block is about 80 tonnes," said Nedkov, explaining that the elements were loaded onto the naval research vessel Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii (RSV 421) and traveled 50 days to Livingston Island, and were unloaded in a period of ten days.

Nedkov said that cement and cement additives were brought last year in order to cast the 32 foundations of the laboratory building. As part of the 2024 mission to Antarctica, the Bulgarian builders, with the help of a 4-tonne chain crane, assembled the elements of the building. "We are gradually uploading every single detail. This includes columns, windows, floor, wall and ceiling panels, external and internal walls, as well as two layers of plywood for the floor," the Base Commander pointed out, noting that air cushions have been placed between all columns and floors for the purpose of insolation.

Nedkov also explained about the heating of the laboratory, as there will be several sources of heat. "The building will be heated by both solar and diesel fuel and air conditioning." Each system can work independently depending on the available sunlight and the load on the diesel units and photovoltaic panels.

"At the moment, we have a concept to feed the new building from our existing water intake", said Nedkov and added that this year's goal is to connect all the buildings of the Bulgarian station with the entire water supply, new and old. "There will be a treatment plant for waste water which will be biologically based," specified the Base Commander.

Nedkov said that five builders are currently working on the construction of the new scientific laboratory, while at the start there were seven. The two who recently left  focused on detailed clarification of where the building should be positioned and where the foundations should be cast. 

The Base Commander said that the internal installation and furniture of the laboratory is expected to be built next year, and the laboratory equipment will be installed in the year after. "If we have the opportunity, we will start the equipment process as early as next year."

The next two years are decisive, and extremely important voyages for RSV 421, without which the new scientific laboratory, could not be built said Commander Nedkov.

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During the 32nd Bulgarian expedition to Antarctica, which started on November 8, 2023, the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) is publishing interviews with Antarctic researchers. The Bulgaria-Antarctica BTA's Log again provides coverage of the voyage of the Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii to Antarctica and back and its stay there, as it did during the 31st expedition between December 27, 2022 and May 2, 2023. Back then, only BTA had a correspondent, Daily News Editor Konstantin Karagyozov, who covered the 127-day expedition with text, video and photos during the entire voyage (including across the Atlantic in both directions) and throughout the stay in Antarctica. In June 2023, BTA published in Bulgarian and in English an issue of its LIK magazine "To Antarctica and Back under the Bulgarian Flag" dedicated to the historic expedition.

Again, all of BTA's information on the Bulgarian scientific research in Antarctica and the support provided by the Bulgarian naval research vessel, as well as on the other activities at the Bulgarian Antarctic Base, will be available to all media outlets in Bulgarian and in English on BTA's website in the Bulgaria - Antarctica: BTA's Log section.

BTA has a National Press Club on board the ship and is planning to open a National Press Club at the Bulgarian Antarctic Base on Livingston Island.