RRS Ernest Shackleton

RRS "Ernest Shackleton" is a Royal Research Ship operated by the British Antarctic Survey. She is primarily a logistics ship used for the resupply of scientific stations in the Antarctic.

History

Launched in 1995 as MV "Polar Queen" for GC Rieber Shipping AS, she was operated in the Antarctic by other national programmes. The British Antarctic Survey acquired her on a long-term bareboat charter in August 1999 and renamed her RRS "Ernest Shackleton" after the British polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton.cite web| url=http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/living_and_working/research_ships/rrs_ernest_shackleton/index.php| title=RRS "Ernest Shackleton"| publisher=British Antarctic Survey| accessdate=2007-08-30] She replaced the RRS "Bransfield".

Construction

RRS "Ernest Shackleton" is ice strengthened with a double hull construction and is capable of a wide range of logistic tasks as well as having a scientific capability. She has a cargo tender "Tula" on deck for ship to shore transfer of equipment when the ship cannot berth alongside.

ervice

RRS "Ernest Shackleton" is primarily a logistic ship, used for the resupply of the Survey's Antarctic research stations. She loads cargo and science equipment in the Humber and sails to the Antarctic in September/October each year, returning in May/June. After annual refit/drydock, "Ernest Shackleton" is chartered for commercial survey work for the northern summer. [cite web| url=http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/living_and_working/research_ships/index.php| title= BAS Research Ships| publisher=BAS| accessdate=2007-08-30]

ee also

* RRS "James Clark Ross", another British Antarctic Survey Royal Research Ship.

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.photo.antarctica.ac.uk/external/guest/detail/search/10007594/1/8 Image] of RRS "Ernest Shackleton" on the British Antarctic Survey website.
* [http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/met/services/ship-pos.html Ship's current position]