South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) plans to have a new icebreaking research vessel built at a cost of $205 million to support its expanding research efforts in the Arctic and in Antarctica where it expects to open a new research station in the latter part of this decade.
The new ship, to replace the country’s existing Araon, a 6,950gt icebreaker commissioned in 2009, will be of approximately 15,000gt and will have the capability of breaking 1.5m-thick ice at a speed of three knots when delivered in 2026.
Report by Jim Shaw
Photo: South Korea’s existing 6,950gt icebreaker Araon is to be replaced by a larger 15,000gt ship by 2026 at a cost of over $200 million. MOF
