UK Polar Research Vessel Sails to Antarctica Using Biofuel

The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is making major strides in its efforts to decarbonize marine operations as its flagship polar research vessel set sail for a new season in Antarctica. They report the vessel’s engines will be running on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) for the five-week voyage.

The RRS Sir David Attenborough, which is one of the most advanced research vessels in the world, departed Plymouth for the new 2025/26 Antarctic field season that will see a team of scientists based in the southern continent for seven months carrying out extensive research expeditions. In making the 6,000 nautical-mile voyage to Montevideo, Uruguay, and onward to Antarctica, the ship will be using HVO.

BAS highlighted that using HVO on the voyage is critical in helping the organization decarbonize, considering that emissions from shipping activities account for approximately 60 percent of its carbon footprint. The agency, which is hoping to reach net zero by 2040, contends that HVO has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by up to 94 percent compared to conventional diesel fuel.

HVO, commonly referred to as renewable diesel, is produced via hydroprocessing of oils and fats and can be used as an alternative fuel in diesel engines with no modification of the engine. BAS has previously said that careful consideration is given to the sustainability and availability of HVO, as well as the cost, logistical, and emissions implications of using the fuel source. This includes engagement with potential suppliers to ensure the sustainability of HVO feedstocks.

The research vessel is making the journey to Antarctica for the new season in which researchers and operational teams are expected to deliver more than 60 science projects across the five stations operated by BAS. Over the next seven months, the team will showcase a range of climate, ocean, glaciological, and ecological research, including major international collaborations, advanced autonomous technology trials, and a collection of long-term environmental data and observations.

Part of the focus will be studying how underwater waves mix ocean heat and nutrients, linking glacier calving to ocean circulation, ice-core drilling to reconstruct 11,000 years of carbon exchange between the Southern Ocean and the atmosphere and investigating how iron and manganese control Southern Ocean productivity and carbon cycling. The team will also undertake a tracking of krill populations at South Georgia, something that is crucial for regional biodiversity and understanding how the Southern Ocean absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

“With the 2025/26 season underway, research supporting BAS’ long-term scientific strategy, Polar Science for a Sustainable Planet, continues. Recent news of global climate tipping points and extreme weather reinforces that research to understand the changing Antarctic is more vital than ever,” said Dame Jane Francis, BAS Director. She added that whether through modelling, monitoring or fieldwork, science is central in understanding how the region is changing, with the new knowledge expected to shape more resilient communities in the United Kingdom and across the world.

Built at a cost of more than £200 million ($268 million), RRS Sir David Attenborough is a central pillar in the organization’s strategy of pushing the boundaries in scientific research owing to the fact that the vessel is designed to support science in extreme environments. In the current mission, the ship has 30 crew members and 60 scientists on board. Her cargo includes 1.2 tonnes of baked beans, 15,000 teabags and two tonnes of bread flour.