The Oceanic Research Ship ‘Hespérides’ concludes the 27th Antarctic Campaign.

The Spanish Navy oceanographic research ship ‘Hespérides’ has called at the Argentinian port of Ushuaia after having finished the logistic tasks related to the closure of the Spanish Antarctic Bases ‘Juan Carlos I’ and ‘Gabriel de Castilla’ until next year’s austral summer.

The ‘Hespérides’ arrived at the Southernmost continent last December 16th to carry out the necessary logistic endeavors to open the Spanish scientific bases first, and then, start her own research projects on board. In January and February, the ‘Hespérides’ conducted a combined research campaign with five different disciplines in the Sea of Belingshausen and beyond the Antarctic Polar Circle.

The last scientific project of the Antarctic Campaign of the ‘Hespérides’ was known as ‘Polar Change’, a campaign to explore the aerosols present in the Antarctic atmosphere and their influence on the formation of clouds along the waters and straits that bathe the shores of the Antarctic Peninsula. After its completion, the ship proceeded to the closure of both Antarctic bases and the re-embarkation of scientific and technical personnel who had been carrying out their researches. All in all, the ship has carried out six scientific projects on board, accommodating –in several different batches– up to 182 scientists of 19 different nationalities.

The ‘Hespérides’ will set sail again on March 29th towards Montevideo, where she will embark members of the SAGA REC project, the last scientific endeavor before returning to her home port in Cartagena on May 19th.