THE AUSTRALIAN Antarctic Division’s research/icebreaker Nuyina is one week into a 55-day voyage which will see the re-supply of two Antarctic bases and the commencement of the first major campaign to Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) in over 20 years.
The Serco-operated vessel departed Hobart 27 September with 99 expeditioners on board, almost 40 crew, three inflatable boats and two helicopters.
The first call is at the Casey Base, where a number of expeditioners will be flown off to get an early start on key projects, as well as some of the Wilkins Aerodrome crew to help prepare and open the ice runway. The helicopters will also fly in some critical cargo that is too fragile to be included in an airdrop, planned for mid-October.
Once the fly off is complete, the ship will head to Heard Island for ten days to conduct a range of science, environmental management and research activities, the AAD says.
Then it’s on to Davis research station for an over-ice resupply.
RSV Nuyina ‘parks’ in thick sea ice about a kilometre from the station and is then unloaded by truck and tractor.
It will take just over a week to transfer 500 tonnes of cargo – including 12,600 eggs, 500 kilos of bacon and 600 kilos of cheese – 140,000 litres of water and around 800,000 litres of fuel.
Serco says the HIMI campaign will be delivered over two voyages, totalling 35 days on and around Heard Island. The HIMI region teems with globally significant ecology and geoheritage values, being one of the most intact sub-Antarctic ecosystems left on Earth.
Serco’s onshore support teams and the ship’s crew have worked collaboratively with the AAD to deliver complex vessel upgrades and logistical planning with efficiency. This includes meticulous safety measures and biosecurity planning to ensure biosecurity procedures can be effectively implemented, the company says.
Captain Gerry O'Doherty. Image: Katrina Beams / Serco
Serco’s RSV Nuyina Master, Captain Gerry O’Doherty, has an extensive maritime career, including previously visiting the HIMI region. Capt O’Doherty said, “It’s an exciting opportunity to return to the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve.
“The management and research activities we support there will have a very real impact on advancing scientific understanding of the world around us, and it’s a privilege to be ensuring Australia’s expeditioners can achieve as much as possible. We’ll be delivering on the operational excellence and safety components to help ensure mission success.”
Serco manages 500 systems on the RSV Nuyina to ensure vessel readiness, spanning 50,000 configurable items with 12,000 planned maintenance tasks assigned. Every year, Serco says, it works with the AAD to deliver up to 50 complex engineering innovations to continually enhance the vessel’s performance.
“Additionally, the Serco catering team, renowned in Australia and globally for food safety and quality, are proud to deliver a high volume of meals with consistent variety. In the RSV Nuyina’s previous 11-week voyage, the catering team delivered over 30,000 meals and expects to deliver a similar volume again during the HIMI voyages.
“Serco is proud to support the AAD’s multidisciplinary operation to the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve, which is a globally significant project that showcases Australia’s leadership in sub-Antarctic science and deep field capability,” said Ronan Maguire, Serco’s contract manager for Nuyina.