Day 10: NAVAL RSV 421 Arrives in Cartagena

The naval research/survey vessel Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii (NAVAL RSV 421) arrived in the Spanish city of Cartagena shortly before 1600 hrs CET on Thursday. The city is the first stopover on the ship's long voyage to Livingston Island, where it will support the 31st Bulgarian Antarctic Expedition.

The Bulgarian vessel was met by a local harbour pilot who guided her through the gate bay and the entrance lighthouses and after two turns took her to her berth where the vessel was moored with assistance from local harbour officials. The harbour pilot is an official who knows the approaches to the respective harbour and the berths, and suggests courses for the commander of the vessel to follow in order to safely perform the entire manoeuvre. "The ship arrived on time. There were no problems with its positioning at berth," port liaison officer Miguel Brocos told BTA.

The Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii is on its historic first voyage to Livingston Island in the South Shetlands in support of the 31st Bulgarian Antarctic Expedition. The ship is expected to reach its destination in some 40 days. It sailed off from Varna on the Black Sea on December 27, 2022.

BTA's Daily News editor Konstantin Karagyozov is the only member of the media who is travelling on board the ship to Livingston Island and back, and will cover the Bulgarian expedition on site throughout the stay in Antarctica.