The 'Mar Argentino' entering the port of Mar del Plata

The 'Mar Argentino' reached Mar del Plata port.

ARGENTINA
Friday, November 27, 2020, 04:00 (GMT + 9)

The new INIDEP scientific ship that was built in Vigo, Spain, was received by national authorities who escorted it. It cost almost 8 million dollars and will aim to work in coastal waters.

Escorted by the ships Eduardo Holmberg and Víctor Angelescu, a corvette and helicopter from the Argentine Naval Prefecture and thunder bombs that some SIMAPE leaders launched from the North Breakwater, the 'Mar Argentino' entered after 1:00 p.m. through the mouth of the local port.

A lot of paraphernalia for a 36-meter-long ship that was built in the Armón Shipyard, in Vigo, Spain, at a cost of 7 million dollars that was exceeded almost 8 million for the placement of electric motors. The Angelescu had already been built in Vigo, also with a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank that seems to have promoted the Galician shipbuilding industry.

The event was led by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of the Nation, Luis Basterra, who was accompanied by his Security counterparts, Sabina Frederic; and of Science, Technology and Innovation, Roberto Salvarezza.

The Undersecretary of Fisheries, Carlos Liberman, was also seen, although he did not participate in the press conference at the foot of the dock, once the authorities had descended and the Mar Argentino was already moored and officiated as a backdrop for contact with the media.

“It is a moment of high value both personally and from institutional responsibility, which represents the conjunction of the State's commitment to an activity as relevant as fishing, and it is to take advantage of our marine resources in a sustainable and sustainable way. A wealth that is used correctly is well-being for all Argentines, ”said Minister Basterra.

The ship's arrival was also attended by the Secretary of the Malvinas, Antarctica and South Atlantic, Daniel Filmus; the Secretary of Research and Industrial Policy and Production for Defense, Daniela Castro and the Director of Social Programs, Institutional Management and Competitiveness of the Secretariat of Strategic Affairs of the Presidency of the Nation, Gustavo Vaca; the Buenos Aires Minister of Agrarian Development, Javier Rodríguez and the director of INIDEP, Oscar Padín.

“Today the sea surface is almost double our continental surface, where we can identify new opportunities but also threats. Therefore, just as from the field of foreign relations we are working on the task of recovering the Malvinas in a peaceful way, we also mark sovereignty every time we do scientific research to make proper use of the resources that belong to all of us the Argentines and exclusively ”, added Basterra.

During the day, the official was part of the recognition to the crew of the Fisheries Research Vessel Doctor Eduardo L. Holmberg for their forty years of activity. An official delegation set sail on board the ship to escort the Mar Argentino as it entered the port.

The Minister expressed: "Today we are reinforcing the sense of a Research Institute, in the importance of having a fleet and giving it the genuine capabilities for research."

The same Holmberg who was paid tribute is the one who was unable to complete two investigative campaigns in recent months. Due to technical problems and contagions among the personnel embarked by INIDEP, the Global Hake Campaign had to be canceled in August and last month the one that would be carried out on demersal species was also canceled, together with researchers from Uruguay in the Common Fishing Zone of the Front Maritime.

At the door of the Institute there was a poster that reflected the claim of the workers. "First class ships - Fourth wages," the sign stated in black letters. "There is nothing new about the supplement that we are asking for," acknowledged Elena Louge, one of the agency's researchers.

Consulted by REVISTA PUERTO, Minister Salvarezza assured that the staff's claim "is fair" and that they are working to rebuild it. In that sense, he remarked that last year the budget for science and technology was 0.24% of GDP and that so far in 2020, 0.26% had been executed and it was projected to increase it to 0.28% for the year coming.

Basterra also highlighted the role of scientific staff. "INIDEP workers have a genuine commitment that must be recognized and we are working to prioritize their career that we aspire to rebuild."

The new vessel will replace the old Captain Cánepa ship, built in 1964 as a fishing vessel and later modified for scientific activity. In this sense, the acquisition constitutes a very important step in the work of the Ministry in terms of innovation applied to fishing activity.

The 'Mar Argentino' will aim to work in coastal waters, many of which have shallow depths, where the knowledge of the biological processes that occur are transcendental for the good management and sustainability of the resources.

The vessel is 36 meters long and 8.5 meters wide, and features diesel electric propulsion, a retractable keel and low noise propagation overboard. Its crew is made up of 11 nautical and 8 scientific-technical crew.

It also has acoustic equipment, three laboratories on the main deck (wet, multipurpose and equipment control and hydroacoustics); winches for bottom and middle water trawling; winches for oceanographic instruments and plankton and benthos sampling.

It had sailed from Armón after completing the sea trials last month. It is believed that she will have her baptism on December 11. Yesterday there was speculation with the presence of President Alberto Fernández herself.

Author: Karina Fernandez / Revista Puerto

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