MURMANSK, May 17. /TASS/. The ice-resistant self-propelled platform North Pole carrying the expedition North Pole-41 has returned to Murmansk after an 18-month mission in the Arctic, a TASS correspondent reports. The first comprehensive expedition of this sort in 10 years has collected a large array of information about the processes underway in high latitudes.

"The expedition continued the history of drifting stations North Pole, started in 1937 by the Ivan Papan-led wintering party. The use of the unique platform made it possible to conduct the expedition at the highest professional level and, most importantly, ensured the maximum safety," said Igor Shumakov, the head of federal weather watching service as he greeted the scientists by video link.

Ice-resistant platform’s efficiency

Alexander Makarov, the head of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, noted the greater efficiency of research on board the ice-resistant platform in contrast to the operation of an ice camp.

"We use new heavy equipment: geological samplers and oceanological equipment, which would be impossible to operate on an ice floe. We had several situations in which the ice floe broke up and we had to evacuate the camp," he told the media.

He added that the vessel was very comfortable for the polar explorers.

"The platform performed as efficiently as possible. We were very pleasantly surprised that it worked so nicely. It was very convenient to set up camp on the ice. Well, and it is difficult to overestimate how the quality of life of scientists on board contributes to their wish to do their job well," Makarov said.

Research results

The AARI chief explained that the results of research obtained were yet to be comprehended and analyzed, but it was already clear that they would have a great impact on planning further expeditions.

"We have learned more about how the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans affect the thawing processes in the Arctic. This data is necessary for us to be able to refine our predictive models and forecasts for navigation along the Northern Sea Route. Now the task is to ensure year-round navigation in the east of the Northern Sea Route, which has never been done before," Makarov said.

North Pole expeditions

The expedition North Pole-41 was a continuation of the program for comprehensive research in the high latitudes of the Arctic founded by Soviet scientists decades ago. The world's first polar research drifting Arctic station North Pole-1 started its work on May 21, 1937. A total of 40 such expeditions have been organized since.

In 2013, the team of scientists from the drifting station North Pole-40 was evacuated and the program was suspended for almost 10 years. In 2022, the Arctic drifting station program was resumed at a technologically new level with support from the ice-resistant platform North Pole.

The world's first ice-resistant platform North Pole is designed for year-round expeditions in the northern latitudes of the Arctic Ocean. It is capable of arriving in the designated area without an icebreaker escort, stay adrift for up to two years and return to port on its own. The vessel accommodates 14 crew members and 34 researchers. The platform is equipped with an onboard research complex of 15 laboratories and a mobile field camp for deployment on ice floes.