The Oden: Crew Feedback and Vessel Data

(Reuters) – A year-long recording of the songs of Beluga whales has been salvaged from the Arctic after the crew of a Swedish icebreaker chanced upon a research buoy adrift in hazardous pack ice. A team tracking the device from California said they had almost given it up for lost when a “miracle” run of events allowed the vessel, the Oden, to stage an impromptu rescue while navigating through a channel in the far north of Canada.

Maritime traffic in the Arctic is rising dramatically, leading to a greater need for safety and environmental protection. Consequently, as part of the icebreaker Oden's Artic expedition, the Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA) is testing a new tracking system for maritime traffic. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is also positive to the project, SMA said in a media release.

New Zealand’s Antarctic research body has put several projects on hold due to budget limitations and logistical problems. Antarctica New Zealand, the Crown Entity which manages New Zealand’s activities in Antarctica, has run into difficulty maintaining it’s research programme. Transport problems were forwarned earlier in the month, when the Antarctia NZ posted on their website: “With the Swedish icebreaker Oden unavailable this season the United States programme is currently considering a number of potential options to break a channel into McMurdo Sound to enable the resupply of both McMurdo Station and Scott Base. In the event another Ice breaker cannot be found this will have a potentially significant impact on both the 2011/12 and 2012/13 seasons. In the meantime Antarctica New Zealand is planning for a full summer season as usual.” It has now been revealed that an alternative ice breaker cannot be found, causing problems with fuel re-supply in particular. As such, Antarctica NZ has stopped all research projects requiring helicopter or fixed-wing support. More at http://www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2011/08/25/antarctica-research-frozen-without-icebreaker/