Laura Bassi (icebreaker)
The Ernest Shackleton (1999–2019), now N/R Laura Bassi (2019-) | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Norway | |
| Name | Polar Queen |
| Owner | GC Rieber Shipping |
| Port of registry | Bergen |
| Builder | Kværner Kleven Leirvik A/S, Leirvik, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway |
| Cost | $27,352,000 |
| Yard number | 267 |
| Laid down | 26 November 1994 |
| Launched | July 1995 |
| Completed | 27 September 1995 |
| In service | 1995–1999 |
| Fate | Transferred to British Antarctic Survey |
| United Kingdom | |
| Name | Ernest Shackleton |
| Namesake | Sir Ernest Shackleton |
| Owner | GC Rieber Shipping |
| Operator | British Antarctic Survey |
| Port of registry | Stanley, Falkland Islands |
| In service | 1999–2019 |
| Fate | Sold to Italy |
| Italy | |
| Name | Laura Bassi |
| Namesake | Laura Bassi |
| Owner | Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS) |
| Acquired | 2019 |
| Identification | IMO number: 9114256 |
| Status | In service |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type |
|
| Displacement | 5455 tonnes loaded |
| Length | 80 m (262 ft) |
| Beam | 17.0 m (56 ft) |
| Draught | 6.15 m (20 ft) |
| Ice class | DNV ICE-05 Icebreaker |
| Installed power | 2 x Bergen Diesel BRM 6 each 2550 kW |
| Propulsion | Thrusters : 816 Hp x 3 + 1088 Hp x 1 + 1 Azimuth 1088 Hp |
| Speed |
|
| Range | 40,000 nautical miles (74,000 km; 46,000 mi) |
| Endurance | 130 days |
| Complement | 72 (22 Officers/Crew, 50 expedition personnel) |
| Aviation facilities | Helicopter deck, max helicopter weight 10 tonnes |
Laura Bassi (formerly Polar Queen and RRS Ernest Shackleton) is an icebreaking research vessel operated by the Italian National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics. Between 1999 and 2019, she was the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) logistics ship, primarily used for the resupply of scientific stations in the Antarctic. Laura Bassi is ice strengthened with a double hull construction, certified Category A PC5 according to the Polar Code. She is capable of a wide range of logistic tasks, as well as having a scientific capability.