site.btaAntarctic Research Vessel Travelled Nearly 20,000 Miles in 155 Days

The Sv.Sv. Kiril I Metodii research vessel travelled 19,725 miles in 155 days during its third mission to the Antarctic, said Commander Radko Muevski, reporting on this year's activities after the vessel returned to Varna. The voyage was carried out between November 7 2024 and April 11 2025. Among the guests at the event were the head of the Naval Academy, Flotilla Admiral Kalin Kalinov, Prof. Boyan Mednikarov, and Sofia University Rector Prof. Georgi Valchev.

The tasks carried out during this voyage included the transportation and unloading of about 80 tons of cargo - construction materials, equipment for scientific research projects, fuel, supplies, etc.

Some 150 scientists and logistical workers were transported aboard the vessel this year, including Bulgarian and foreign scientists from Spain, Bolivia, Colombia, Turkiye, Montenegro and Greece.

Another major task that the ship performed was seven scientific research projects.

“We had a pretty good collaboration with the Spanish Antarctic Program, for which we again transported building materials for their new laboratory on Deception Island. The load amounted to about 20 tonnes. This year we had again a very good cooperation with the Turkish programme and the cargo that was received on board in Varna was successfully handed over to the ship that the Turkish Antarctic programme is using, Betanzos," the ship's commander said.

Very good contacts have been established with the Argentine Navy, and cooperation has been consolidated and advanced during this expedition.

“All the tasks assigned to the crew were fulfilled at 100% and also additional tasks that arose in the course of the voyage and in support of the Bulgarian base, such as execution of tasks ashore, were also fulfilled in full and without remarks,” said the commander of the research vessel,” Muevski said.