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Report of Russia–Us Joint Antarctic Inspection REPORT OF RUSSIA–US JOINT ANTARCTIC INSPECTION UNDER ARTICLE VII OF THE ANTARCTIC TREATY AND ARTICLE 14 OF THE PROTOCOL ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION TO THE ANTARCTIC TREATY India – Maitri China – Zhongshan India – Bharati Japan – Syowa Belgium – Princess Elisabeth Norway – Troll NOVEMBER 29 – DECEMBER 6, 2012 Table Part I – Introduction ............................................................... 2 of Contents Part II – Inspection Overview .............................................. 5 Part III – General Conclusions ............................................. 7 Part IV – Antarctic Station Inspection Reports India – Maitri ........................................................................... 8 China – Zhongshan .............................................................. 14 India – Bharati ....................................................................... 21 Japan – Syowa ........................................................................ 27 Belgium – Princess Elisabeth .............................................. 33 Norway – Troll ...................................................................... 40 List of Acronyms ................................................................... 45 Part I – INTRODUCTION The U.S.-Russia Joint Antarctic Inspection Susannah Cooper was conducted from November 29 – Senior Advisor for Antarctica December 6, 2012. This is the second Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs phase of our joint inspection, which began United States Department of State in January 2012 based out of the United States’ McMurdo Station. This is the first Valery Lukin joint inspection by either country, the Director, Russian Antarctic Expedition first inspection conducted by the Russian Russian Federation Federation and the fourteenth inspection conducted by the United States since the Robert Nelson signing of the Antarctic Treaty in 1959. This Senior Science Advisor report summarizes the observations and Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and conclusions of the joint inspection team. Compliance United States Department of State The inspection was conducted pursuant to Article VII of the Antarctic Treaty of Polly Penhale 1959 and Article 14 of the Protocol on Environmental Officer, Office of Polar Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Programs Treaty. The purpose of the inspection U.S. National Science Foundation is to promote the objectives and ensure the observation of the provisions of the Victor Pomelov Antarctic Treaty. The U.S.-Russian team Environmental Officer reviewed adherence by Treaty Parties to Russian Antarctic Expedition their obligations, including with respect to Russian Federation limiting environmental impacts, ensuring that Antarctica is used only for peaceful The joint inspection team arrived in the purposes and that Parties honor the Antarctic Treaty Area from Cape Town, prohibition on measures of military nature. South Africa on November 30. The team inspected the following stations: Maitri The joint inspection team members came (India), Zhongshan (China), Bharati from the following U.S. and Russian (India), Syowa (Japan), Princess Elisabeth federal agencies and institutions: the U.S. (Belgium), and Troll (Norway). The Department of State, the Russian Ministry inspection concluded on December 6, 2012. of Foreign Affairs, the United States National Science Foundation (NSF) and The Antarctic Treaty, signed in Washington the Russian Antarctic Expedition. The team in 1959, reserves the continent of Antarctica members were: exclusively for peaceful purposes. Moreover, it places science at the heart of Evan T. Bloom Director, Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs international cooperation on the continent United States Department of State by guaranteeing freedom of scientific Joint Team Leader research, including the sharing of research and scientific information. It prohibits all Dmitry Gonchar military measures, including the testing Deputy Director, Legal Department of weapons, the explosion of nuclear Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian materials, and the disposal of radioactive Federation waste material. The Treaty also provides Joint Team Leader a mutually agreeable arrangement for the issue of territorial claims in Antarctica. The Anna Antonova United States and Russia were architects Counselor, Legal Department of the Antarctic Treaty of 1959 and today Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian conduct some of the most extensive and Federation diverse scientific activities in Antarctica. 2 Today, the Treaty has 50 parties, 28 of which to Antarctica from South Africa and are conducting significant research on the back were made using the resources of continent, thus entitling them to the status the Dronning Maud Land Air Network of Consultative Party with the right to name (DROMLAN),of which RAE is an active observers. participant. DROMLAN unites the efforts of eleven national Antarctic programs The Environmental Protocol to the (Belgium, Finland, Germany, India, Japan, Antarctic Treaty, which was signed in 1991 the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, South and came into force in 1998, designates Africa, Sweden and the United Kingdom). Antarctica as a “natural reserve, devoted The operator of the aircraft was the Cape to peace and science.” It supplements Town-based Antarctic Logistics Centre the Antarctic Treaty’s basic provisions International (ALCI), the air operator of applicable to human activity in Antarctica the DROMLAN program. The aircraft was and prohibits all activities related to operated by a Russian aircrew from the Antarctic mineral resources, with the Ilyushin Test Center. exception of scientific research. Flights of the inspection team between The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Antarctic bases were made using a BT-67 Russian Federation by legal and political Turbo Basler aircraft (a modification of means ensures implementation of the the venerable DC-3) with the following obligations of the Russian Federation schedule: arising from the legally binding instruments of the Antarctic Treaty. The Russian December 1 Antarctic Expedition, as a specialized – NOVO – S17 – Progress Station (Russia); body within the Russian Federal Service on Hydrometeorology and Environmental December 4 – Progress – S17; Monitoring, manages national governmental activities in Antarctica. December 5 – S17 – Princess Elisabeth Station (Belgium) – NOVO; The U.S. Department of State coordinates U.S. policy on Antarctica in cooperation December 6 – Novo – Troll station with the National Science Foundation, (Norway) – NOVO. the federal agency that administers the U.S. Antarctic Program, and other federal S17 is a field ice airstrip located agencies. It leads diplomatic efforts within approximately 35 km south of Japan’s the framework established by the Antarctic Syowa station and operated by the Japanese Treaty. Antarctic Expedition (JARE). ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Total BT-67 flight hours for the support of the inspection were 20 hours 25 minutes, The inspection team greatly appreciates and the distance covered was 5789 km. the support of the Russian Antarctic Expedition and the Russian Federal Service Ground transportation for the inspection for Hydrometeorology and Environmental team was provided by RAE and JARE. Monitoring, particularly the staff of Russia’s A Kamov-32 helicopter operated by the Novolazarevskaya and Progress Stations, Indian Antarctic Expedition and piloted who provided essential support for phase by a Russian aircrew (Avialift-Vladivostok) two of the inspection. provided transportation of the team from Progress Station to the Indian Bharati The inspection team flew to the Russian Station. station Novolazarevskaya (NOVO) on an Ilyushin-76 from Cape Town on November 29 and returned to Cape Town on the same aircraft on December 6. Flights 3 Part II – INSPECTION OVERVIEW The six stations inspected were of All stations inspected with the exception different age and design philosophies and of Princess Elisabeth operate year-round. demonstrated different approaches to Scientists usually are present for the logistics support and scientific research. The summer period, while scientific data team benefitted from this opportunity to gathering in wintertime is carried out by a understand the extent of different nations’ small number of technicians or automatic Antarctic activities and observance of the devices. Over-wintering personnel are relevant provisions of the Antarctic Treaty generally engaged in maintenance of station and its Environmental Protocol. equipment, environmental monitoring and servicing various scientific equipment. All of the stations inspected, with the Automatic data gathering devices are exception of China’s Zhongshan, are active widely used throughout the stations visited. participants in DROMLAN. The Belgian Typically, data are transmitted to national and Norwegian stations also participate science centers in real-time or near real- in Dronning Maud Land Shipments time, although in some cases physical (DROMSHIP, a shipping network that samples (e.g. air or ice-core samples) must includes Belgium, Finland, Germany, be transported to national laboratories for Norway, South Africa and Sweden) and rely further analysis. on those programs for logistical support. The Indian program also charters a Russian Most station personnel undergo training in icebreaker and an ice enhanced cargo emergency response, fire fighting and first vessel as well as helicopters for its logistical aid prior to their deployment to Antarctica. operations, while the Chinese station
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