The delivery of modules for a radical renovation of the Russian scientific station “Vostok” in Antarctica was disrupted due to an unexpected and inexplicable breakdown of the propeller blade of the nuclear-powered lighter carrier “Sevmorput” in the ocean near Angola, the operation was postponed to 2021. Writes about this “Kommersant” with reference to sources in the industry.
The fact that the lighter carrier is located off the coast of Angola and that the ship is undergoing repair work on the propeller-rudder complex was reported by Atomflot FSUE on November 18. The information about the loss of one of the four blades of the ship's only propeller was confirmed by the head of the Sevmorput Directorate of Rosatom Vyacheslav Ruksha. The reasons for the breakdown will become clear after the dock inspection. Ruksha clarified that only the dock at the Kanonersky shipyard in St. Petersburg is suitable for receiving the lighter carrier.
The entry into the territorial waters of Angola could simplify the repair of the lighter carrier, but this needs to be coordinated with the authorities of the African country, since we are talking about a ship with a nuclear power plant. In addition, the situation is complicated by the severe restrictions imposed in Angola due to the coronavirus.
Sources of the publication call the current situation a force majeure and assure that after the repair “Sevmorput” will be able to reach St. Petersburg. However, the breakdown could delay the renovation of Vostok, the only inland Russian scientific station in Antarctica, for a year, which is already 90 percent worn out. Despite the fact that cranes are installed on the lighter carrier, it is impossible to reload the modules to other ships on the high seas due to bad weather conditions and high sides of the container ship. In addition, this year in Antarctica is a warm spring, which is causing the fast ice to collapse, so it is dangerous to unload.
At the same time, newspaper sources admit that some of the equipment and personnel can still be delivered to Antarctica after reloading onto other ships, in particular, on scientific expedition ships of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute.
In June, it was reported that Russian scientists completed their 65th seasonal expedition to Antarctica and returned to St. Petersburg. During the expedition, the specialists delivered cargo for the creation of a wintering complex at Vostok station and changed the wintering personnel at Progress, Mirny and Novolazarevskaya stations.
