site.btaBulgarian Research Vessel Reaches Antarctica

At 15:12 hrs UTC-3 on December 27, the Bulgarian naval research/survey vessel Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodi (RSV 421), bound southward, crossed the parallel at 60 degrees south latitude and thus entered the territory governed by the Antarctic Treaty, the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy reported in a Facebook post.

The vessel is on its third annual trans-Atlantic voyage in support of the 33rd Bulgarian polar expedition and is approaching the St Kliment Ohridski Bulgarian Antarctic Base on Livingston Island.

RSV 421 picked a group of researchers and logisticians at the Argentine port of Ushuaia. Upon arrival at Bulgarian Beach, they will disembark, and unloading will start of the ship's cargo of materials for the completion of the construction of a new laboratory module, conduct of research projects during the current polar season, and supplying food and energy resources for the normal operation of the base.

Captain Lieutenant Cristian Ivan Aguilera of the Argentine Navy (ARA) will sail on board the Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii while the vessel is in Antarctica. He will carry on the practice of providing up-to-date information about the hydrometeorological conditions in the area of the voyage from the Argentine Naval Hydrographic Service (SHN).