Russian science will soon receive a new state-of-the-art expedition vessel for research in the Arctic and Antarctic. It will be named "Ivan Frolov", and in the future it will replace the current flagship of the polar fleet of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute "Akademik Fedorov". The building contract was signed between the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Roshydromet) and “Admiralty Shipyards” JSC on March 6.
“A great future awaits the new Russian research flagship. It will remain in service for 30 or even 40 years – until the 2070s, which means that it will become a participant in grandiose events related to Russian scientific projects and victories in the Arctic and Antarctic. This vessel expands the horizon of possible research planning for decades. For young scientists seeking to devote their lives to polar science, this vessel can open up a distinct perspective and an opportunity to realize themselves and their talent in the profession. The Poles are waiting for a new generation of researchers who will replace us," said Aleksandr Makarov, director of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute.
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Ivan Frolov is an Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Honorary Polar Explorer, member of the Expert Council of the Crystal Compass National Award. Immediately after graduating from Leningrad Hydrometeorological Institute in 1971, he began working at the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, where he worked his way up from engineer to director, and since 2017 became the scientific director of the institution.
Among the initiatives of Ivan Frolov is the design and construction of the ice-resistant self-propelled platform "North Pole" in St. Petersburg. In 2019, he led and successfully conducted a comprehensive expedition "Transarctic 2019" to study the Arctic basin. Under the leadership of Ivan Frolov, the research expedition vessel “Akademik Treshnikov” was built, the Tiksi International Hydrometeorological Observatory and the Ladoga Research and Methodological center were created, and an observatory was organized on Cape Baranova (Severnaya Zemlya Island).
Ivan Frolov’s scientific interests primarily lay in marine ice science, polar meteorology, oceanology, and climatology. He was also a leading specialist in the field of studying the hydrometeorological and ice-hydrological regime of the Arctic Ocean and its seas, took part in more than 30 Arctic and Antarctic expeditions, in 20 of them he was the leader. He has published more than 150 scientific papers in leading domestic and foreign publications, was the editor and co-author of six monographs.
According to the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of Russia Alexander Kozlov, the new expedition vessel "Ivan Frolov" will ensure the smooth operation of expeditions in Antarctica. Now Russia has five year-round stations and five seasonal bases on the southern continent.
“The current vessel, which delivers polar explorers and cargo to Antarctica, is already becoming obsolete, and there is just a little time left to commission a new vessel. The ‘Ivan Frolov’ will be a ‘five in one’: a tanker, an icebreaker, a passenger, cargo and research vessel," the minister stressed.
The shipbuilders from St. Petersburg, who have enormous experience, will be building the “Ivan Frolov”. They were the ones to create the unique ice-resistant self-propelled platform "North Pole" that has no analogues in the world, and which is now drifting in the high latitudes of the Arctic.
The head of Roshydromet Igor Shumakov said that designing the new vessel would take the whole of 2023. He added that all the projects that are being implemented today by order of the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring are unique and have no analogues in the world. To date, no one plans to create even something remotely similar to the "Ivan Frolov".
“Antarctica is very important for science, especially since now everyone is talking about climate change, and we need to adapt to these changes. And in order to adapt, you need to understand how the climate can change. Scientific research in Antarctica helps to understand how the climate changed in the past and what will happen to it in the future," Igor Shumakov noted.
The head of Roshydromet also stressed that many Russian-made components will be used during the construction of the vessel.
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Today there are three vessels in the scientific expedition fleet of AARI: "Akademik Fedorov", "Akademik Treshnikov", and the unique floating observatory "North Pole". The "Ivan Frolov" will be the fourth one and will be used for conducting marine research, staff rotation, and supplying Arctic and Antarctic stations. The vessel will correspond to the Arc7 class of the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping. Its length will be almost 165m, displacement about 25,000 tons. It is designed to comfortably accommodate 240 people, including 70 crew members and up to 170 scientists and members of the air squadron. Up to 20 laboratories can be equipped on board for any type of research from the ocean floor to the stratosphere, a complex for two Ka-32, Mi-8, and Mi-38 helicopters will be provided. It is planned that the vessel will be built in 2028 and will last at least 30 years.