BELARE 2007-2008 : Expedition Program

Scheduled over 4.5 months, the BELARE 2007-2008 expedition aims to build the Princess Elisabeth Station's outer shell and set up the seven remaining wind turbines.

All in all, the team comprises of a medical doctor/nurse, a cooking team, qualified mountain guides and first-aid team, construction teams, a base camp management team and, during the construction phase, a driving team.

• The first phase of the building plan began at the beginning of November. The objectives are to set up base camp for the building team, haul the containers stored there last year back to the base camp, complete the garage construction and drill both the station's anchoring points and the holes for the wind turbines.
• The second phase of the construction begins in December with the arrival of the Ivan Papanin in Breid Bay. After a first stop in Antarctica at the Norwegian Troll Station for equipment drop-off, the Ivan Papanin should arrive in Breid Bay on December 23rd. The offloading point will be secured and convoys will carry the unloaded containers across 190km to the base camp, securing the route along the way.
• In January, the construction of the actual station will begin (wooden and metal structures), along with the continued hauling of equipment to the base camp and the building of the wind turbines.
• The construction of the station's outer shell will be completed in February and joints will be sealed. Come March, the camp will be shut down and the station closed for over-wintering.