The S.A. Agulhas made news on 30 January 2024 when the ship was officially handed over to JS Maritime on Tuesday during an on-board ceremony attended by transport minister Sindisiwe Chikunga. The S.A. Agulhas was South Africa’s polar research vessel. She was in service for more than thirty years (1978 – April 2012) and has completed her term of service for the South African National Antarctic Programme. She was used to service the three South African National Antarctic Programme (SANAP) research stations in the Southern Ocean and Antarctica as well as doing various research voyages. She spent most of her time out of harbour. Below a video clip of the S.A. Agulhas at sea.
It has carried many take- over personnel and overwintering team members to SANAP stations. All these passengers and crew members have taken many photo’s of the vessel. The S.A. Agulhas legacy will live on on the Antarctic Legacy of South Africa’s Archive. The vessel done voyages to all the SANAP Bases at Marion and Gough Island and to SANAE station on Antarctica. During its voyages to Antarctica it has visit South Thule island and South Georgia(below)
There are more than 300 images of S.A. Agulhas on the ALSA archive. Below the S.A. Agulhas in the ice and at the ice shelf
Photo Credits: Adriaan Dreyer – Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.
