The Government of New Zealand is calling for tighter controls on cruise ships operating in the Antarctic, following the latest incident of the recent grounding of Quark Expeditions Ocean Nova.
Foreign Minister Murray McCully has announced that New Zealand is to convene a major safety conference on the issue of cruise ships in Antarctica later this year. According to New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ‘if nothing is done, it will only be a matter of time before there is a disaster in the Southern Ocean. The international community must take steps to ensure that never happens.’
The conference will focus on how to prevent a major maritime accident and what controls should be introduced to cover what Mr McCully described as a ‘currently inadequate regulated industry.’
Experts from the 47 countries that are party to the Antarctic Treaty will attend the conference, along with cruise lines, cruise operators, tour operators and non-governmental bodies.
The latest cruise line to offer Antarctic cruises is Seattle-based Cruise West, which is offering a 19-day Antarctic Expedition in February 2010 aboard the 114 passenger capacity Corinthian II from Ushuaia, Argentina.
Meanwhile, Ocean Nova has sailed from Ushuaia to Europe following repairs, to start a summer charter for Denmark’s Albatross Travel. She will return to Quark for the 2009/2010 Antarctic season.
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