Turkey to establish its own Antarctic base in 10 years

Turkey will establish a base in Antarctica in the next five to 10 years, according to Ersan Basar, assistant professor in maritime transportation and management engineering at Karadeniz Technical University.

Basar was on a team of nine scientists that had completed its initial feasibility study on Antarctica with the support of Ministry of Science, Industry, and Technology.

“Turkey’s current policy is to establish a scientific base [in Antarctica…],” Basar told Anadolu Agency. “Antarctica is the peace continent of science. According to the Antarctic Treaty, only science can be done there.”

He also said 29 consulting countries had a base in the area and that Turkey was working hard on being the 30th.

Basar emphasized that in order to be a consulting country, setting up a base, planning missions, conducting scientific studies were essential.

“The next mission will be in December and the third next year in March. We are trying to find a suitable place, so far, we have worked at almost 17 spots.”

“What is most important is to have our Turkish flag flying there,” he said.

Basar mentioned the first studies to be carried out once the base is established will concern marine studies and geology.

Antarctica serves as a scientific preserve since the Antarctic Treaty was signed in Washington in 1959, of which Turkey is a party.

The continent is considered the coldest on earth. The lowest temperature there was recorded in 1983 at minus 89 degrees Celsius (minus 128 Fahrenheit). In the summer, the temperatures rises to minus 15 degrees Celsius (5 Fahrenheit) or minus 5 degrees Celsius (23 Fahrenheit).

Turkey's first polar research center PolRec was established in Istanbul in 2015.

The mission of the center is to carry out research on the Antarctic and develop Turkey's visibility in the international scientific community.