Araon - Korea Icebreaker
Korea has a particular interest in understanding the Arctic environment with its potential for change because highly industrialized countries reach into high northern latitudes and Asia is under the steady influence of and in exchange with the Arctic environment. Korea would like to be involved in the big pictures and to contribute during post-IPY period.
The Korea’s icebreaker (Araon), which is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2009, is 6,950-ton icebreaker and designed for operation in one-meter-thick-multiple-year ice condition (KR PL-10) with 3 knot speed per hour and will be equipped with twin Azimuth propulsion units driven by diesel-electric propulsion plant. She will accommodate up to 85 persons, including 25 crew members. New ice breaking research vessel; >100 M OL, 70 day endurance, Multi-disciplinary research capabilities; oceanographic, geophysical, and labs.
Following a circumspective feasibility test in 2003, the basic design and general arrangement of a vessel had been produced in 2004 and 2005, respectively. At the beginning 2007, Hanjin Heavy Industry, Inc. won the contract for constructing an icebreaker ship and a steel-cutting ceremony was held in Jan. 2008.
After keel-laying in May of 2008 and launching and delivery in 2009, she is planned to be commissioned for scientific research and logistic purposes in both Antarctic and Arctic regions. Korea expects that the icebreaker ship would enhance the capability of conducting scientific research in polar regions with upgraded efficiency and quality. Korea is operating one “over-wintering” station, the King Sejong on King George Island in the Antarctic, and also has research facilities, the Dasan, in NyAlesund, Svalbard Islands in the Arctic. In November 2008 the Korean Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) release its plan for its new ice breaker the Araon.
