SAs new R1.3 billion polar research and supply vessel, the SA Agulhas II, will play multiple roles as tanker, cargo carrier, passenger ship, research vessel and helicopter carrier, as well as performing its icebreaking duties. It is expected to arrive in Cape Town in early May.

SA’s new R1.3 billion state-of-the-art polar research and supply vessel, the SA Agulhas II, will be crunching its way through sea ice in Finland’s Bay of Bothnia in the coming weeks during final trials before heading south.

The vessel, which will play multiple roles as tanker, cargo carrier, passenger ship, research vessel and helicopter carrier as well as performing icebreaking duties, is due to embark on its maiden voyage from the Finnish shipyard on April 3 and should reach Cape Town a month later.

The official handover to the Department of Environmental Affairs is scheduled for May 29, when it will replace the ageing SA Agulhas, which has been plying the Southern Ocean for more than 30 years and is completing its last supply voyage to SA’s Antarctic base, Sanae IV.

The new vessel is being built by STX Finland. It will undergo two sets of trials in the next few weeks.

The first is a sea trial that will include testing the propulsion systems and fuel economy, and the setting up of all its machinery.

Tests will be done on the navigation and dynamic positioning instrumentation, as well as on communication equipment and the alarm system.

“While at sea, the manoeuvrability of the ship also will be tested by doing a big circle and a figure of eight to measure how fast it can turn. A single crash stop will also be conducted at sea,” said STX.

“The last of the sea trials includes testing all the scientific systems on board.”

The ice trials will start after the sea trials, and include a multi-institutional research programme to further the understanding of the hull design of icebreaking ships and their reaction in different ice conditions.The SA Agulhas II has been specially designed to allow it to cut through ice one metre thick at five knots.

Stellenbosch University researchers are part of the programme.

“The aim of this programme is to create and improve a scientific basis for design of ice-going ships including factors such as the hull, propulsion, power requirement, comfort for passengers and crew on board and safe navigation in ice,” said STX.

“STX Finland have conducted numerous ice trials before but never as extensive as this. All their calculations are based on theoretical calculations, computer modelling of the hull form and model testing in a tank.”

l On the web: www.saagul hasii.co.za