Technical Design completed for the new European...
Wärtsilä Corporation, Trade & Technical Press release 4 December 2008
Wärtsilä and The Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine
Research, part of the Helmholtz Association, yesterday presented in
Berlin the technical design of the European Research vessel "Aurora
Borealis", a multi-purpose icebreaker, deep-sea drilling, and
research ship for polar sea conditions.
"Aurora Borealis" will be a unique vessel - a combination of a heavy
icebreaker, a scientific drilling ship, and a multi-purpose research
platform that can operate year-round in all polar waters. When
completed, it will be the world's most sophisticated research vessel.
Because of European interest in, and proximity to the Arctic
environment, the "Aurora Borealis" project was included in the
priority list of the European Commission's "European Strategy Forum
on Research Infrastructures" (ESFRI) within the 7th Framework
Programme as one of only seven projects in the "Environmental
Sciences" section. Following up on this process, 15 institutions and
agencies from ten European nations, including Norway and the Russian
Federation, founded the "European Research Icebreaker Consortium"
(ERICON). The European Commission has funded the preparatory phase
with EUR 4.5 million.
In 2006, the German Science and Humanities Council recommended
construction of "Aurora Borealis", and the German Federal Ministry
for Education and Research has funded the technical design process
and planning works with EUR 5.2 million, as a precondition for a
later realisation. The anticipated construction costs as of 2008 are
around EUR 650 million. Germany has been active in polar research for
more than 25 years, most notably with its research icebreaker
"Polarstern". The Alfred Wegener Institute is also globally
connected, by more than 74 co-operational agreements, to the most
important international research centres for polar and marine
research.
Subject to sufficient financial support, the preparations for the
construction of the vessel should be completed by 2011, and
construction could start as early as 2012. This would enable the
first scientific operations to be undertaken in 2014 or thereabouts.
"Aurora Borealis" will further strengthen the operational
capabilities of the European scientific community. Since there are
currently no research icebreakers of comparable size and capacity for
year-round autonomous operations in polar waters, this project
promises to facilitate for the first time year-round expeditions into
some of the most extreme realms of our planet, thus helping to gain
new insights into the history, climatic variability, and the present
environmental conditions of the polar regions.
Access to the Arctic Ocean and the ability to cope with pack ice are
essential in order to perform scientific drilling, so that the
unresolved questions of climate change and variability can be
answered. "Aurora Borealis" will thus be equipped with a drilling rig
that enables researchers to drill more than 1000 m into the sea
floor, in water depths between 100 and 5000 m. For the first time,
scientific deep-sea drilling will become possible even in drifting
pack ice, without need of support from additional icebreakers. To
perform these drilling operations, the ship has to be kept exactly in
position on the floating ice. A dynamic positioning system capable
for manoeuvring in ice - an absolute novelty in the shipping industry
- is mandatory for this task. Extensive model tests in the ice tanks
of the Hamburg Ship Model Basin (HSVA) and Aker Arctic Research
Centre in Helsinki, Finland, have proven that "Aurora Borealis" will
indeed be able to dynamically position in ice cover of two or more
metres thickness.
Another unique characteristic of "Aurora Borealis" design are the two
seven by seven metres moon pools. These are continuous vertical
funnels in the midst of the hull going into the water below the
vessel, enabling scientists to deploy their equipment into the ocean
without being subject to wind, waves and ice. The aft moon pool is
mainly dedicated to drilling operations, while the forward moon pool
is reserved for most other scientific works. This allows, for the
first time, deployment of very sensitive and expensive equipment,
such as remotely operated or autonomous underwater vehicles, within
closed sea ice cover. Scientific laboratories are located on several
decks around the moon pool, which is designed in an atrium-like shape
with circular walkways and preparation areas. In order to optimally
equip the ship for all kinds of specialised expeditions,
containerised laboratories can be also loaded here and become fully
integrated into the scientific workflow on board.
Link to pictures of the new European Research Icebreaker "Aurora
Borealis".
Media contacts:
Ms Marit Holmlund-Sund
Senior Manager, PR and Marketing Communications
Wärtsilä Corporation
Direct tel: +358 10 709 1439
e-mail: marit.holmlund-sund@wartsila.com
Mr Albrecht Delius
Director Operations
Wärtsilä Ship Design Germany GmbH
phone: +49 40 37 609 114
email: albrecht.delius@wartsila.com
Dr Martina Kunz-Pirrung
Scientific/Technical Coordinator - Communication & Outreach
Aurora Borealis Project
phone: +49 471 4831 1236
e-mail: Martina.Kunz-Pirrung@awi.de
Ms Margarete Pauls
Press Officer
Alfred Wegener Institute
phone: +49 471 4831 1180
email: medien@awi.de
Wärtsilä Corporation in brief:
Wärtsilä enhances the business of its customers by providing them
with complete lifecycle power solutions. When creating better and
environmentally compatible technologies, Wärtsilä focuses on the
marine and energy markets with products and solutions as well as
services. Through innovative products and services, Wärtsilä sets out
to be the most valued business partner of all its customers. This is
achieved by the dedication of over 18,000 professionals manning 160
locations in 70 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on the
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www.wartsila.com
AWI in brief:
The Alfred Wegener Institute carries out research in the Arctic and
Antarctic as well as in the high and mid latitude oceans. The
institute coordinates German polar research and makes available to
international science important infrastructure, e.g. the research
icebreaker "Polarstern" and research stations in the Arctic and
Antarctic. AWI is one of 15 research centres within the
Helmholtz-Association, Germany's largest scientific organization.
www.awi.de
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