Polar Support Vessel Project
Argentina seeks to recover a capability lost since 1989: a new Argentine polar logistics vessel.
The Tandanor project, designed in conjunction with the Finnish company Aker Arctic, aims to be the ideal partner for the icebreaker ARA Irízar, strengthening our presence in Antarctica.
The project is based on the Aker ARC 133 design but adapted to Antarctic conditions. With a length of 131.5m and a deadweight of 5,000 tons, diesel-electric propulsion, and three generators, it will be able to operate in first-year ice (PC4/PC5 class).
The hull is designed according to the international Polar Classification 4 (PC4) standard. This allows it to operate year-round in thick, old-year ice and to move continuously at 2 knots over ice up to 1 meter thick.
Its unique geometry, unlike that of conventional cargo ships, features a specific curvature in the bow and sides designed to break through ice by weight and displace the ice blocks to the sides, preventing damage to the propellers.
The original plan at Tandanor involved manufacturing the hull using pre-assembled blocks at the Almirante Storni Shipyard, which would then be assembled and welded on the slipway.
The construction of the new vessel requires the use of special naval steels that possess not only high mechanical strength but also exceptional toughness at extremely low temperatures.
The standard for vessels operating in polar waters, due to their ability to resist brittleness in extreme cold, is EH36/EH40. These are the most likely grades for the ice belt.
The technical development involves a key technology transfer. The goal is to decentralize the workload of the ARA Almirante Irízar, allowing it to focus on its role as a heavy icebreaker and scientific laboratory.
This unit seeks to recover the capabilities lost after the sinking of the ARA Bahía Paraíso in 1989. That vessel, built at the Príncipe, Menghi, and Penco shipyards (Buenos Aires), was a landmark of the national naval industry, measuring 132 meters in length and possessing a significant helicopter landing capability.
Today, the project faces budgetary challenges (estimated at over USD 195 million), but its completion is vital for the logistics of Petrel Base and the Antarctic bridge. Recovering a vessel of this class will restore the Argentine Navy's polar transport autonomy.