12 Feb 2010: The Takover period on Sanae has just finished and the SA Agulhas will be leaving Antarctica soon, the ship is due back in Cape Town on 23 Feb 2010 at 08:00.
The SA Agulhas is South Africa's polar research vessel. She has been in service for almost thirty years and is nearing the end of her term of service. The Agulhas is used to service the three SANAP research bases in the Southern Ocean and Antarctica as well as various research voyages. She spends most of her time out of harbour.
Vessel Particulars...
Type:
Steel Hulled, Ice strengthened Antarctic Supply/Oceanographic Research Vessel
Class:
LRS Ice Class 1
Keel Laid:
1977
Builders:
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Shimonoseki, Japan
Gross tonnage:
6122.96 T
Displacement:
1836.88 T
Nett tonnage:
7107 at moulded summer draft
Length overall:
111.95 m
Breadth:
18.05 m
Moulded draft:
6.045 m
Power:
4476 kW
Cruising speed:
12.5 knots
Maximum speed:
14.0 knots
Range:
15 000 nautical miles
Endurance:
90 days
Call sign:
ZSAF
Complement:
138 comprising 40 crew and 98 scientific/other staff
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Directorate: Antarctica and islands
Photos: Ronald Collatz, Ross Hofmeyr.
The SA Agulhas offloading at the Atka Bukta - Neumayer
