Five years ago the British Antarctic Service (BAS) handed over to Ukraine, free of charge, its Faraday Research Base on Galindez Island of the Argentine Archipelago. It is now called the Ukrainian Academician Vernadsky Antarctic Station. This event signaled the return of Ukrainian science to the elite circle of the researchers of one of the planet’s most distant and mysterious continents. Of course, it is not only Antarctica’s virgin nature and fabulous beauty that attracts the eyes of scientists from all over the world. The true cause of their interest lies in the reserves of noble metals, precious stones, oil, coal, and other mineral resources. It is not difficult to foresee that the next century will have pressing needs and the technical capabilities to extract at least a part of these treasures from under the icebound earth. Naturally, only countries that are making a certain effort today will gain access to them. Moreover, having joined a prestigious scientific community, we have pledged not only to observe the rules of the game set by international agreements on Antarctica but also to encourage Ukraine’s Antarctic activities and maintain its image of a developed scientific and technological state. The real situation, however, is that we not only lack the necessary vessels but also experience serious problems in uninterrupted annual financing of our polar explorations. The relevant budget item does not yet guarantee that the Antarctic expedition will set off on time. Verkhovna Rada’s committee in charge recommends that the Ukrainian Antarctic Center (UAC) of the Ministry of Education and Research use some research vessels, although it knows only too well that the latter is unable to pay the freight. Demanding an expedition be urgently sent, the committee only tries to exert administrative pressure on the UAC directors, reproving them for doing nothing... This can hardly be called assistance. Today we are again facing a real threat of Ukraine’s sixth Antarctic expedition being delayed, which can jeopardize not only our research in Antarctica but also the health and even life of the explorers.
This was the subject of an interview with UAC Director Valery LYTVYNOV, Candidate of Sciences (Engineering):
“Mr. Lytvynov, the press, radio, and television have focused for several years in a row on the funding and organization of Ukraine’s Antarctic expeditions. Every year, for two or three months, the media have stirred up public awareness over delays in funding for our explorations in Antarctica. Alarmed readers literally follow every step by those who research this mysterious continent. Sometimes there are even sensations, like transportation of ‘hibernators’ in containers or food purchases beyond the Polar Circle. Then everything calms down. An Antarctic boom like this usually occurs at the end of the current and the beginning of a new year. Why does this happen?”
“In my opinion, this is caused mainly by constant departures from the optimum mission schedule for our research vessels. It must be common knowledge now that the most productive period for expeditionary work in the South Hemisphere is the short Antarctic summer, i.e., January and February. To take advantage of these most favorable weather conditions, the vessels should go on an expedition not later than mid-December and return home in early April. This seems to be understood by everybody, from the relevant Verkhovna Rada committee to our immediate superiors in our dear ministry. The press has also written much about this. But in practice, things take a different course.
“The dates when Ukrainian Antarctic expeditions set off on transcontinental voyages are displaying a pronounced tendency to shift to late February. For example, the fifth expedition of this kind left Sevastopol on February 21, 2000, later than the previous four. As a result, it had to have its stay at the Vernadsky Research Station reduced to the minimum and then, frankly speaking, to flee that region altogether in order not to get frozen in the ice. Again due to the financial squeeze, last year’s hibernators had to be sent by air to Chile and then be put on the very first available ship capable of delivering them to their destination. This was also the subject of the some scandalous publications we mentioned earlier.
“Even without going into the details of previous expeditions’ organization and the true reasons for radical staff replacements in the UAC, which resulted in a new board of directors, I will say the root of the evil is still in the lack of funds in the right place at the right time. It takes more than monetary expenses to prepare, repair, and equip a vessel for the trip. It takes weeks and months. It is this circumstance that harbors the growing danger of force-majeure situations.”
“As the UAC’s No. 1 person with a high military rank and academic degree, you are surely aware of the risk faced by an expedition and the ship’s crew who set an extraordinary voyage of months thousands of miles from our native shores. Severe rolling, hurricane- force winds, ocean waves, and icebergs make up by no means the complete list of surprises they can encounter en route. What is being done to avoid potential dangers?”
“Everybody knows that the ocean and Antarctica are not terribly favorable human habitats. And the people who participate in research expeditions are always the pioneers and trailblazers of new knowledge about the environment. The information they gain makes it easier for those following them to overcome difficulties and move on. This is a universal truth. Everything is perfected through research and experience, including vessels, navigation and communication aids, etc. So one of the goals of our center is to furnish participants of polar expeditions with the most up-to- date technical equipment capable of guaranteeing their safety and successful research.
“For example, the much-criticized research vessel Horyzont, which took our previous expedition to Antarctica, was equipped with state- of-the-art GLONASS (Russian Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System — Ed.) and Furuno Danmark AS navigation systems, which meet the most stringent standards of the international maritime safety organizations. Besides, we also set up ship satellite tracking, in conjunction with the services of the US, Russia, and Ukraine, which allowed us to gain en route weather information in good time. In spite of many difficulties, the expedition fulfilled its principal tasks.”
“Still, some members of the Verkhovna Rada Research and Education Committee were very critical of the choice of a vessel and even said that launching an expedition in late December is organizational nonsense. What is your attitude toward this?”
“As to the first part of the question, I will say this. There is no limit to perfection. If we get a real financial opportunity to charter a more powerful and comfortable vessel, we will certainly take it. All the leaders of our center took part in the most critical stage of the fifth Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition (UAE), namely, reaching the Academician Vernadsky Station by way of the Drake Passage and back. In the Argentine port of Ushuaia, on the very extremity of South America, we saw the vessels our foreign colleagues use to sail to the Antarctic. And, of course, Ukrainian science deserves a better ship to represent our state before many countries of the world. The more so that Ukraine has good shipbuilding facilities.
“As to expedition sailing dates, this point is beyond dispute. But solving this problem depends to a great extent precisely on the government institutions in charge of financing our Antarctic research. We are already considering the documents on future hibernators and studying research program proposals. We have announced a tender for chartering the research vessel, which will take to Antarctica the participants of the sixth UAE. We have already received offers from ship owners and are going to discuss all options at a tender commission meeting.
“But, with calculator in hand, it is not so difficult to assess the results. The choice of vessels is limited, as before, by the same narrow circle of potential state order winners. However, the amount of the projected budgetary allocations will become smaller by force of inflation. This amount will continue to dwindle, to evaporate, as long as launch dates are postponed.”
“What exactly are you going to do to break this vicious circle?”
“The center directors and staff are doing a lot to optimize preparation for the forthcoming expedition. We have organized a training base for hibernators. The saved funds helped us create a health-check reserve. We are making deals with suppliers about the necessary materials, ever more costly fuel, and spare parts to support life at the station. We are even trying to speed up funding for the sixth UAE. Having coordinated our efforts with the ministry, we have drawn up and submitted to Verkhovna Rada draft amendments to the law On the State Budget of Ukraine for 2000. Simultaneously, we sent our requests to the Ministry of the Economy and Ministry of Finance. Much to our chagrin, our amendments have not yet been passed, while other requests have been passed down again to the Ministry of Education and Science, accompanied by a recommendation to solve the problem at the expense of the funds allotted to meet this ministry’s needs. In other words, the circle is closing again.
“Aware of the economic situation in this country and foreseeing this traditional march of events, we pleaded with the government to allow the UAC to receive a short-term interest- free or soft credit to be returned in January-February at the expense of the next year’s budget, in which these expenditures should be presented as a separate item. But this alternative option has not yet been accepted either. Meanwhile, the calendar already shows October.
“In short, the UAC is likely to again be on the receiving end, and the problem of risk minimization is again being placed on your shoulders. What’s the way out of this dead-end?”
“A contemporary of ours has noted wittily that when we say there is no way out of the situation, we just don’t like a simple and clear way out of it. This means the budget of one year should finance two Antarctic expeditions. In such case we would reap at least three advantages. First, we would be able to prepared seriously and on time for the next voyage, safeguarding the scientists from various risks as far as possible. Secondly, we would get the chance to involve foreign partners in our research programs, for we haven’t been able to announce the exact date of our setting sail to Antarctica for the past several years. We can say this has virtually become one of the most characteristic specifics of our nation’s expeditions. And, finally, third, we will be able to save a lot of money and forestall the dollar exchange rise for at least one expedition season. They say with good reason that whoever gives earlier gives twice. For all our expenses are planned at some prices for goods and services but made at others. We just can’t keep pace with the changing cost estimates.”
“And one last question. Commenting on the 2001 draft budget, People’s Deputy, head of the Ukrainian Federation of Scientists, and Academician Volodymyr Semynozhenko pointed out that the document had been prepared at a painfully low level. This primarily applies to appropriations for Ukrainian research, amounting, in various budget items, to 0.30-0.37% of GNP. Do you think this could further complicate the financial problems connected with Antarctic exploration?”
“Our state has certain obligations to the British Antarctic Service and the international data centers which use the information supplied by the Vernadsky Station to analyze and forecast radical changes in the global climate. Besides, this year Verkhovna Rada has voiced its intention to ratify the Madrid Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty and has also demanded that we activate our efforts in drawing up a draft a National Program of Ukrainian Research in Antarctica to the year 2010. Together with institutions of the National Academy of Sciences, we are dealing with this important matter, which also includes the practical problems of managing oceanic biological resources, for which purpose several groups of various experts have been formed. This shows that the lawmakers are interested in the development of the Antarctic vector of the nation’s research. The President of Ukraine has also rendered substantial assistance. So I want to hope that the sixth UAE will put to sea at a date close to that chosen. In any case, we are making an all-out effort to do so. And we are used to difficulties and problems. This is perhaps another specificity of our work. All we have to do is not to create them ourselves.”
