Scientists aboard the UK's RRS Sir David Attenborough as Afloat previously reported, have collected samples of seawater around the A23a mega iceberg, the largest iceberg in the world.

New video footage shows the enormous icebergNew video footage shows the enormous icebergNew video footage shows the enormous iceberg, some 3,900km2 and 400m tall, stretching out into the distance beyond the research vessel. (Noting image seen from a satelitte).

Dr Andrew Meijers, Chief Scientist aboard the RRS Sir David Attenborough and Polar Oceans Science Leader at British Antarctic Survey (BAS), said: “It is incredibly lucky that the iceberg’s route out of the Weddell Sea sat directly across our planned path, and that we had the right team aboard to take advantage of this opportunity. We’re fortunate that navigating A23a hasn’t had an impact on the tight timings for our science mission, and it is amazing to see this huge berg in person – it stretches as far as the eye can see.”

A23a hit the headlines worldwide last week (24 November) after it moved out of the Weddell Sea sector into the Southern Ocean. It calved from the Filchner Ice Shelf in 1986, before being grounded on the seabed nearby. A23a is now likely to be swept along by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current into ‘iceberg alley’, putting it on a common iceberg trajectory towards the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia

The RRS Sir David Attenborough passed the iceberg as part of its planned route towards the Weddell Sea, where the team will start the intensive 10-day BIOPOLE cruise. The cruise, which is the first scientific mission aboard the new research ship, is investigating how Antarctic ecosystems and sea ice drive global ocean cycles of carbon and nutrients. Their results will help us understand how climate change is affecting the Southern Ocean and the organisms that live there, from microscopic marine plants and tiny copepods to charismatic penguins and whales, and their roles in regulating our climate and keeping our oceans healthy and productive.

Laura Taylor, a biogeochemist working on the BIOPOLE cruise, explained the significance of the A23a samples: “We know that these giant icebergs can provide nutrients to the waters they pass through, creating thriving ecosystems in otherwise less productive areas. What we don’t know is what difference particular icebergs, their scale, and their origins can make to that process.

We took samples of ocean surface waters behind, immediately adjacent to, and ahead of the iceberg’s route. They should help us determine what life could form around A23a, and how this iceberg and others like it impact carbon in the ocean and its balance with the atmosphere.”

Professor Geraint Tarling, Principal Investigator on the BIOPOLE Programme and Ecosystems Science Leader at BAS, said: “Calving of icebergs from Antarctica’s ice shelves is part of the natural life cycle of glaciers. Polar ecosystems play a crucial role in regulating the balance of carbon and nutrients in the world’s oceans and are impacted by melting icebergs in numerous ways. The data being collected will improve our understanding of these processes and their sensitivity to climate change.”

In the UK, the newest polar research ship is to be formally named the RRS Sir David Attenborough today by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

The royals will follow tradition by smashing a bottle of champagne against the hull of the marine science research vessel.

Special guest Sir David Attenborough will attend the naming ceremony which will be live-streamed from 13:30 on the BAS website: www.bas.ac.uk/live 

A three-day public celebration, hosted at the shipyard by British Antarctic Survey and Cammell Laird, aims to inspire and inform people about polar science, engineering and technology – and why it matters to everyday life. The event is focussed on our future – young people will play a role in the celebrations. Primary school students from the STEM Polar Explorer Programme will meet the Duke and Duchess as they take a private tour of the ship. Local primary schools that have been studying the Antarctic and climate change will take part in a ‘penguin parade’.

Commissioned by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) - part of UK Research and Innovation, built by Cammell Laird and operated by British Antarctic Survey, this new research platform will transform how ship-borne science is conducted in the Polar Regions. It is part of a major Government polar infrastructure investment programme (a total of £300M) designed to keep Britain at the forefront of world-leading research in Antarctica and the Arctic.

Science Minister Chris Skidmore says: “This is an incredibly exciting moment in our scientific history. The RRS Sir David Attenborough will allow us to make a major leap forward in our understanding of the environment.

“As the first G7 nation to legislate for net zero carbon emissions, it is vital that we invest in scientific efforts that will help us deliver on this. From our world leading capability in earth observation satellites to our ground-breaking research into plastic-eating enzymes, the UK continues to lead by example as a truly green economy.

“This new vessel is an incredible feat of engineering. But it also recognises one of our most respected and admired figures - Sir David Attenborough. Nobody has done more than David to spread the message that we should understand and protect our planet, and I'm delighted that he is being honoured in this naming ceremony.”

Professor Duncan Wingham, Executive Chair NERC, says: “This is an exciting day for all of us as we celebrate the naming of the RRS Sir David Attenborough. Today's ceremony marks the start of an important era that will help ensure world-class polar and deep ocean science in the decades to come. While the Polar Regions might seem remote to the UK, it is vital to understand that the poles are where we first see the impact of global environmental changes.”

Sir David Attenborough says: “This is the third milestone event that I have attended during the construction of this superb ship, and I have enjoyed watching progress from keel-laying till now. It is a remarkable engineering achievement. We all need this ship. Our world is changing and it’s clear that people around the world – especially the young – are becoming more and more concerned about a climate catastrophe. But human beings are resilient and skilful. If we pay attention to the scientific knowledge that those who will sail in this ship will gather, then we will stand a much better chance of finding a way to deal with what lies ahead.

In the coming weeks specialist engineers will complete the interior fit-out. A programme of technical and equipment testing will take place around the River Mersey and in deeper waters around the UK. Ice trials in the northern hemisphere are planned from March 2020, followed by a science rehearsal cruise from August 2020. The ship is scheduled to enter full service from October 2020.

Professor Dame Jane Francis, Director of British Antarctic Survey, says: “This magnificent ship will take UK scientists deep into the heart of the ice-covered polar seas. With state-of-the-art technology they will discover how drastically the polar oceans and the ice have been changed by our actions. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere warns that the oceans are warming and becoming more acidic with CO2, glaciers are melting and sea level is rising across the planet, and the polar bears and penguins are losing their homes. This ship will take us to the ends of the Earth to help us understand our future world.”

Sir Mark Walport is Chief Executive of UK Research and Innovation. He says: “The RRS Sir David Attenborough is one of the most advanced polar research vessels in the world and will transform how ship-borne science is conducted in the Polar Regions. It will provide scientists with state-of-the-art facilities to undertake crucial research into the impact of global change on our oceans, marine biodiversity and climate, and ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of polar science.”

Cammell Laird CEO John Syvret CBE, says: “This is a historic day for Cammell Laird, and todays naming of the RRS Sir David Attenborough, arguably one of the most complex vessels afloat, underpins our re-emergence to the premier league of the global shipbuilding community. It has taken 20 years to regenerate this infrastructure, capability and capacity, and I am extremely proud of all who have worked tirelessly to achieve today’s milestone. This vessel represents our greatest challenge to date, and I thank NERC and British Antarctic Survey for their trust and ongoing support to deliver this iconic vessel. This is the “Pride of Merseyside” and my special thanks go out to our workforce, TU, management and staff, together with our supply chain and all their families for their dedication and commitment to the project and the company.”

Broadcaster and naturalist, Sir David Attenborough says: “This is the third milestone event that I have attended during the construction of this superb ship, and I have enjoyed watching progress from keel-laying till now. It is a remarkable engineering achievement.

We all need this ship. Our world is changing and it’s clear that people around the world – especially the young – are becoming more and more concerned about a climate catastrophe. But human beings are resilient and skilful. If we pay attention to the scientific knowledge that those who will sail in this ship will gather, then we will stand a much better chance of finding a way to deal with what lies ahead.”

A new work – ‘Ark’ – by Poet Laureate Simon Armitage CBE, commemorates the naming. The poem will be premiered in front of thousands of people gathered on the shipyard quayside to watch the ceremony.

The British Pobjoy Mint has created a commemorative £2 coin featuring the ship and a 50p coin featuring the autonomous submersible Boaty McBoatface.

A business breakfast event - Meeting the 1.5 degree challenge. Can innovation in low carbon technologies create a safe and sustainable future for polar buildings and ships?

Chaired by: Financial Times’s award-winning associate editor and business columnist Pilita Clark.

The naming ceremony kicks off a three-day immersive festival of science, engineering and ship building. ‘Ice Worlds’ will bring the Polar Regions to life with over 20 exhibition stands. The festival will be adjacent to the RRS Sir David Attenborough in the Cammell Laird shipyard.

Friday 27 September is set aside for pre-registered schools.

Saturday 28 September is a day for families. A few tickets are still available here: 

#ports&shipping - A major feat of UK engineering took place last week as the “stern section” of the new British polar research ship, RRS Sir David Attenborough was transported by barge from Newcastle to Birkenhead.

The barge departed from the Hebburn-based shipyard A&P Tyne (Newcastle), part of A&P Group, to the Cammell Laird’s shipyard in Birkenhead.

The new ship is a major UK Government investment in frontier science. Commissioned by NERC, and built by the world famous marine engineering company Cammell Laird Shiprepairers & Shipbuilders Ltd. The vessel is a Rolls-Royce design, and will be operated by British Antarctic Survey when the ship enters service in 2019.

The transportation of the 899 tonne steel block (known as Block 10) – which is the equivalent weight of 71 London double decker buses, and more than 23 meters long and 24 meters wide – is a major engineering challenge and a significant milestone in the build.

It further capitalises on the broad commercial skills and infrastructure on the east and west coast of the UK and marks another significant milestone in the Cammell Laird construction programme.

This ‘load-out’ operation is the outcome of a collaboration between Cammell Laird and A&P Group and a clear demonstration of the benefits that a flexible and co-ordinated effort brings to the construction of the RRS Sir David Attenborough and to the UK ship-building industry.

For much more on the newbuild from Cammell Laird, click here