A superlative research icebreaker, the Polarstern 2. The Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), as a global-leading research group, puts great hopes in a new building that costs the astronomical sum of almost 1.2 billion euros. It is the most expensive science ship in the world.
We take you mentally on board and explain what this ship should be characterized - and what it is all about with a hole in the ship's floor.
Queen of Polar and Marine Research
Like the AWI in onePress releaseexplained, strives for the polar star 2,To enable research at the highest scientific and technical level in the future
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The budget committee released the funds for this shortly before Christmas 2024. The main areas of use of the research icebreaker are naturally in the arcade. Among other things, it should be continued here, with which her predecessor, the Polarstern, came to world fame:Multidisciplinary polar, sea and climate research.
Polarstern 1 was put into service in 1982 and fundamentally overtaken in the early 2000s. She is to be replaced by her successor in 2030. Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems is responsible for the construction.
Basic data polarstern 2
- Length: 160 meters (Polarstern 1: approx. 118 meters)
- Maximum draft: 11.10 meters (Polarstern 1: 11.21 meters)
- Width: 27 meters (Polarstern 1: 25 meters)
- Research icebreaker that can break thicker ice cream than his predecessor. Thanks to its completely new drive concept, the ship can also better maneuver in the ice. It is also able to break floes backwards.
- Similar to Polarstern 1, the new 90 days can be autonomously on the world's oceans and thus hibernate in the eternal ice of the (ant) arctic. In an emergency or with previous planning, longer times are possible.
- It is said to be traveling 300 days a year and the supply of the Neumayer Station III in Antarctica is also going to continue.
- The drive receives its energy from a diesel generator. However, this only produces electricity, which in turn supplies the ship and the electric motors. Batteries are co -installed, thanks to which the ship can hold the position for two to three hours and use the measuring instruments, without operation of the combustion engine.
The generators are also fired with methanol.is one of the hope for shipping.
On board the new ship, there are 13 laboratories for different purposes away from all common rooms for researchers and crew, including one for research on fishing. Helicopter and renamed drones are also planned as a multidisciplinary research platform. There are also remote -controlled and autonomous underwater robots.
Speaking of crew:The mission's seafaring side is located in the hands of a 50-member crew of the shipping company F. Laeisz, which also manages the Polarstern 1. In addition, a maximum of 90 researchers can go on board, although 50 to 60 are usually racing.
The current polar star in an insert in the ice.
Moonpool-all-time access to the underwater world
A feature that seems strange for the layperson, but is of the highest value for science and is on one with laboratories, is the so -called moon pool.
This is an entrance and output in the bottom of the ship's hull.
- As a result, divers or the underwater robot also planned can be released directly in the middle of the ice or taken on board.
- In the case of classic settlement methods that take place behind or next to the ship's hull, the weather or ice cover is sometimes severely restricted the processes.
Annika Kropp from AWI from AWI explains what is not yet certain with the old Polarstern. This is also not the matter of the research institute, but is responsible for the decision of the Federal Government. Polarstern 2 will belong to the AWI, but its predecessor is owned by the Ministry of Research in Berlin.
However, she should stay on duty until her successor is fully operational. The aim is to extend their approval, which is currently currently ongoing by 2027.
