Page 31: of Marine Technology Magazine (May/Jun 2026)

FEATURE SCIENTIFIC DECK MACHINERY

BREAKING THE ICE BREAKING THE ICE

ON ARCTIC RESEARCHON ARCTIC RESEARCH g y All images courtesy of Amundsen Science

By Celia Konowe eck machinery, such as winches, launch and recovery

Mobilization systems, and cranes, can transform almost any vessel

The mobilization period takes place at the Canadian Coast into a ? oating laboratory, supporting the technology Guard base in Quebec City where the Amundsen docks for a

Dnecessary for scienti? c data collection and analysis. two-week period between June and July. This year, the mo-

The Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Amundsen is no ex- bilization team expects to load 80,000 kg of scienti? c deck ception, as Canada’s only icebreaker equipped with scienti? c equipment and containers onto the vessel, said Quentin La- facilities in support of national and international multidisci- haye, an oceanographic instrumentation professional.

plinary research programs. On board, the vessel boasts 65 sci- “With the Amundsen Science team and the ship’s crew, we enti? c systems, 22 ? xed and portable laboratories, and 300m2 prepare a mobilization plan weeks in advance that serves as a of wet and dry workspace to perform chemical and biological communication and planning tool and contains all the steps experiments, analyze sediments and prepare the deployment needed to ready to ship for the expedition,” explained Mer- of autonomous instruments.

zouk. “The mobilization plan proposes a sequence of loading

The CCGS Amundsen is unique in its dual role, performing ice- activities that ? ts the many constraints and requirements for breaking and escort duties in the St. Lawrence Seaway in winter skilled support by the crew and Coast Guard base staff, such and Arctic science in the summer. Double duty means that all as cranes for loading containers and large equipment, re-fuel- scienti? c equipment that is not part of the vessel must be loaded ing the ship and loading the dozens of pallets of food needed and installed on the Amundsen before the start of the annual to feed 79 people, three times a day for 140 days at sea.” In the

Arctic expedition. Then, at the end of the expedition season, all middle of the two-week mobilization period, scienti? c sea tri- equipment and collected samples are packed up and of? oaded als take place, consisting of ? ve days in the St. Lawrence Es- from the ship during an eight-day demobilization period.

tuary and Saguenay Fjord where the team tests and integrates

The scienti? c cargo and equipment for the ? ve months of the the sampling equipment and data collection instruments.

2026 Amundsen Expedition, explained Marine Research Co- “The mobilization period is a crucial phase of the expedition, ordinator Anissa Merzouk, comprises “containers, winches, as everything has to be onboard, installed and tested before the oceanographic moorings equipment, large equipment such as the ship’s departure,” Lahaye emphasized. “There is a tremendous

ASTRID Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), as well as all the amount to coordinate in order to ensure everything is ready instruments, consumables and chemicals for 200 scientists from by departure day. The mobilization period often feels like a 30 institutions throughout Canada, Europe and the United States sprint, with everyone giving their all to prepare the ship and who collaborate on nine multidisciplinary research programs.” scienti? c operations for the months ahead.” www.marinetechnologynews.com 31

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