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Reminiscent of the symbol of Antarctica’s age of innocence’s death, the cruise liner’s badly gashed orange hull rose from the deep, icy waters. Upon the overturned vessels, penguins perch calmly oblivious to the danger found in the thin oily layer glistening around. Even as some of the tens of thousands of diesel fuel contained in gallons evaporated after the shipwreck, more are beginning to spill out.

Time quickly evolves down at Earth’s final frontier. Tons of bulldozers, aircraft, ships and amphibious trucks are being dispatched by countries that aim to claim a portion of the Frozen Continent. With fanfare that runs through their respective nations, bases are built and research projects are launched. During the austral summer, well heeled tourists arrive by the hundreds each week on cruise ships, supply vessels or military transport planes contracted by specialized travel agencies. You’ll get further resources on adventure antarctica tours by visiting there.

Even private yachts and polar skiing expeditions are venturing into the last place on Earth where no passport is needed. Accidents are happening, and in the case of the cruise ship Antarctic wildlife paid the price as a host of legal, environmental and highly political questions are surging up like the hazardous icebergs in Antarctica’s poorly charted seas. Since Antarctica is owned by no country, as per the Antarctic Treaty, laws do not apply in this land.

This treaty was entered into by exactly a dozen nation way back in the year 1961 and this paved the way for peaceful research to come into Antarctica by making them all waive their territorial claims for the next thirty years. Eighteen nations hold observer status while eight countries have since joined the treaty and were given full voting powers. Among the treaty nations, there are meetings held every two years. The organization has drafted a plan to permit strictly regulated exploration and exploitation of the continent’s mineral resources. They now get harassed with so many challenges thrown their way especially with matters on indemnification, base proliferation, marine and air safety, as well as facilities for medical and rescue missions.

About a hundred travelers ride on ships set to call on Palmer, and all these 30 plus ships come in during the attractive austral summer season. Tourism remains uncontrolled and some even perceive it to be out of hand. As the Science Foundation aimed to keep people from disturbing the research process, tourists were banned briefly last year. The ban was quickly removed as soon as prominent Americans pushed to be informed of how tax dollars are being utilized.If you need more details on antarctica vacations visit there.

The station’s employees also include a medical corpsman that stays in a single studio small yet accessible enough to give medical attention to the two to four dozen people staying in the camp. Maritime disaster management is not one of its strengths.Most of the workers at the station know that to prevent a disaster, they must have fair weather. It was established by them that the lifeboats found in the sunken vessel were inflatable rafts but lacked motors as well as oars. They were easily able to be towed to shore with work boats at the station for the day was very pleasant. But on the upside, let’s be thankful things did not turn for the worse as it did not overturn or drift into the middle of the seas with the cruel Antarctic weather, aver the workers.

In immediate response to the diesel spill, navy and civilian pollution containment experts with 52 tons of specialized equipment were tasked by the National Science Foundation, dedicated in their mission. Two million dollars were spent for the mission. The Chilean and Argentine navies also sent costly clean up missions. Lasting until mid March, the clean up did not suffice for the submerged ship still had around 63,000 gallons that couldn’t possibly be reached and pumped out safely and the worst part is that it will keep spilling as the wreckage disintegrates gradually or it could pick up pace as a winter storm causes the ship to break up. Hauling the ruins away would prove to be too costly, states the experts.

The oil spill is disastrous for the area abounds with different animals from penguins, cormorants, Arctic terns, skuas and other types of birds. The bay is frequently passed through by seals and whales. Indirect evidence linking the death of penguins and birds to the spill has been established by most scientists, but then the extent of the damage is yet to be finalized. In the hopes of analyzing the environmental damage caused by the spill and its impact, 15 researchers from Chile, Argentina and America have arrived.They are left in the dark when it comes to any claim for damages as they wait for years and years of its completion.

Since the United States has no property rights to the area at or around Palmer Station, it has no legal grounds for seeking compensation The area of the accident, on the Antarctic Peninsula, is claimed by Chile, Argentina and Great Britain. Recently, plans were announced by Chile that they will propose that each country will be financially responsible for environmental damages among others, and this will be done at the next Antarctic Treaty. For the amounts spent on spill and accident clean up missions, cost sharing agreements should be set in place along with establishing an office for international emergency coordination and these are all being spearheaded the Science Foundation.

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