ANTARCTIC SHIPPING SEASON ARRIVES WITH MPV Everest

Amsterdam, 30 March 2020 –

Maritime Construction Services (MCS) announces today, that the MPV Everest has arrived Hobart to commence work for the Australian Antarctic Program, resupplying Australian stations and changing over personnel this summer.

The Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) has chartered the vessel to undertake two voyages to Casey, Davis and Mawson research stations in Antarctica.

The first voyage is scheduled to depart for Casey research station on 9 January after cargo and equipment is loaded for resupply, and expeditioners board the vessel.

Built in 2017, the 140-metre long MPV Everest is an ice-strengthened ship with the ability to break sea ice up to one metre thick, and an international crew experienced in polar conditions.

Owned by Maritime Construction Services (MCS), the multipurpose vessel can carry bulk fuel and has cargo space for up to 96 twenty-foot containers on its decks, as well as a helipad above the bridge.

By comparison, Australia’s newly completed icebreaker RSV Nuyina (currently undertaking sea trials in the North Sea and due to arrive in Hobart next year) is 160.3 metres long.

The AAD’s 2020-21 summer season is focused on preventing the introduction of COVID-19 to Antarctica and keeping people safe.

Activities have been scaled back to changing over teams and resupplying stations, with around half of the usual 500 people travelling south.

Stringent quarantine measures by MCS and AAD are in place to prevent COVID-19 cases on MPV Everest.

Crew members of the MPV Everest were COVID-19 PCR tested three times during a fourteen day isolation period prior to joining the vessel in South Korea.

Expeditioners travelling south on the first voyage are currently in isolation in Hobart and will undertake COVID-19 testing before boarding the vessel.

DP3 Multi-Purpose Vessel EVEREST

The Multi-Purpose Construction vessel EVEREST is built to the latest standards and equipped with a wide range of capabilities and features. Due to its unique characteristics, the MPV Everest can continue operations safely, under the most challenging conditions. With 1,400m² of deck space a large quantity of project equipment or subsea structures/parts can be brought on board or lowered. The EVEREST is equipped with a 250MT Active Heave Compensated crane and three state-of-the-art ROV’s, 18 men SAT system making the vessel particularly suited for subsea construction and other specialized projects.

The DP3 1A Super ice class multipurpose vessel EVEREST can handle the severest Polar conditions. Built to the latest standards this state-of-the-art vessel continues to work safely where other vessels must stop.

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