The R/V Laura Bassi departs from Trieste carrying a special load bound for Antarctica

The OGS icebreaker Laura Bassi has departed from the port of Trieste for a new mission that will take her to Antarctica via New Zealand. The vessel is participating in the 41st campaign of the Italian National Antarctic Research Program (PNRA) and is carrying a very special cargo: ice cores from the international Ice Memory project, destined to be preserved in the heart of the Antarctic continent.

The 190-day voyage marks the start of the 2025–2026 austral summer campaign and includes an initial phase dedicated to resupplying Italy’s Mario Zucchelli Station, followed by a second phase focused on five scientific projects.

The ice cores, collected from the Grand Combin Glacier (Switzerland) and Mont Blanc (France), will contribute to the creation of a global climate archive, safeguarding records of past atmospheric conditions for the benefit of future generations.

The Ice Memory project, recognized by UNESCO, is promoted by the Ice Memory Foundation and was founded by the Institute of Polar Sciences of the National Research Council (Cnr-Isp) and Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, together with other European institutions and with the support of the PNRA. Italian missions in Antarctica are funded by the Ministry of Universities and Research (MUR) and implemented by Cnr, ENEA, and OGS.