Ross Sea “ACTUATE” Voyage 2025

RV Tangaroa voyage to the Ross Sea, the ship’s 16th voyage to Antarctica and Southern Ocean.

Leaving from Wellington, the RV Tangaroa is spending approximately 39 days at sea, including 30 within the Antarctic Treaty area (south of 60°S). The main survey area is the Western Ross Sea from Iselin Bank to Cape Adare and as far south as The Ross Ice Shelf front.

Tangaroa carries a total of 38 persons, comprising 18 officers and crew, and 20 scientific and technical staff. It includes participants from all over, including Australia, Europe, India and the UK.

The team is focused on understanding physical oceanographic processes relating to (i) climate and (ii) the ecological health of areas of the Ross Sea with implications for the MPA. The main science objectives are aligned with Antarctic Science Platform (ASP) Projects 2 and 3 and follow on from the 2023, 2021 and 2019 Tangaroa voyages.
Antarctic Science in the Ross Sea - 2023 voyage
Watch Video

Key focal points in the 2025 voyage are:

  • sampling related to water masses
  • population changes of benthic communities
  • eDNA of benthic and mid-water species
  • biogenic sampling of underwater seeps
  • near surface biogeochemistry, and biogenic aerosols.

The voyage is supported by funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment, the Antarctic Science Platform, NIWA Strategic Science Investment Funds, University of Auckland, University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, University of Canterbury, and overseas funding agencies.

Picture of the Day

Snowman on deck
Denise Fernandez / NIWA
14 February - Snowman on deck
Snow on Tangaroa
Svenja Halfter / NIWA
13 February - Snow on Tangaroa
Whale fluke
Svenja Halfter / NIWA
12 February - Whale fluke
International Day of Women and Girls in Science
Alina Madita Wieczorek / NIWA
11 February - International Day of Women and Girls in Science 
Sunset on ice
Svenja Halfter / NIWA
10 February - Sunset on ice
Long kelp is long
Nicole Hill / University of Tasmania, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies
9 February - Long kelp is long
Icescape
Alina Madita Wieczorek / NIWA
8 February - Icescape
Navigating the ice
Hugh Carter / Natural History Museum, London
7 February - Navigating the ice
Fellow research vessel, Laura Bassi, slides by
Svenja Halfter / NIWA
6 February - Fellow research vessel, Laura Bassi, slides by
Glider retrieved safely
Svenja Halfter / NIWA
5 February Glider retrieved safely
Nice spot for a photo of the team
Alina Madita Wieczorek / NIWA
4 February - Nice spot for a photo of the team
Team gathers to watch the deep towed imaging system
Craig Stevens / NIWA
3 February - Team gathers to watch the deep towed imaging system
Ice and sunset
Nicole Hill / University of Tasmania, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies
2 February - Ice and sunset
Deploying a mooring
Alina Madita Wieczorek / NIWA
1 February - Deploying a mooring
Dr Jenny Visser holds a sea cucumber
Alina Madita Wieczorek / NIWA
31 January - Dr Jenny Visser holds a sea cucumber
The locals
Svenja Halfter / NIWA
30 January - The locals
CTD deployment off Tangaroa
Hugh Carter / Natural History Museum, London
29 January - CTD deployment off Tangaroa
First NZ deployment of a BCG Argo thanks to Antarctic Science Platform
Alina Madita Wieczorek / NIWA
28 January - First NZ deployment of a BCG Argo thanks to Antarctic Science Platform
Fish in a petri dish
Svenja Halfter / NIWA
27 January - Fish in a petri dish
An orca breaching off of starboard
Gert-Jan Jeunen / University of Otago
26 January - An orca breaching off of starboard
Benthic team huddle around to see what has been collected
Gert-Jan Jeunen / University of Otago
25 January - Benthic team huddle around to see what has been collected
Marco Grillo with a specimen collected during the voyage
Alina Madita Wieczorek / NIWA
24 January - Marco Grillo with a specimen collected during the voyage
First time reviewing DTIS footage by the expert taxonomists
Dr Gert-Jan Jeunen / University of Otago
23 January - First time reviewing DTIS footage by the expert taxonomists
Recovery of the Continuous Plankton Recorder
Denise Fernandez / NIWA
22 January - Recovery of the Continuous Plankton Recorder
A humpback whale with a iceberg in the background
Svenja Halfter / NIWA
22 January - A humpback whale gives the team a show
One of the first icebergs observed by the team
Denise Fernandez / NIWA
21 January - One of the first icebergs observed by the team
Late night sorting team assists Svenja
Svenja Halfter / NIWA
20 January - Late night sorting team assists Svenja
Teams celebrate crossing the 60
Jasmin McInerney / NIWA
19 January - Teams celebrate crossing the 60
Dr Svenja Halfter recovers the CPR
18 January - Svenja recovers the Continuous Plankton Recorder
Team get ready to deploy an Argo float
Denise Fernandez / NIWA
17 January - Team get ready to deploy an argo float
Cups are decorated to be deployed with the CTD
Svenja Halfter / NIWA
16 January - Cups are decorated to be deployed with the CTD
Fire drill on the Tangaroa
15 January - Fire drill on the Tangaroa
Spray viewed from the bridge of Tangaroa - Campbell Plateau
Ira Cooke
14 January - Spray viewed from the bridge - Campbell Plateau

    Map of the course of RV Tangaroa taken during the TAN2502 voyage started on 14 Jan 2025

    Select anywhere on the red track to see position details and time as well as other vessel information. N.B. Dates and times are in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). New Zealand Standard Time (NZST) is 12 hours ahead of UTC.

    Voyage information and updates

    In the news

    • Link to source page

      The post

      Scientists on climate change mission to Antarctica

      The Post
      A ship departing from Wellington on Tuesday is on a six-week long scientific voyage to Antarctica to help understand the impacts of climate change.

    • Link to source page

      Scientists head to Antarctica to study climate change impacts

      Morning Report - Radio New Zealand
      Thirty-eight scientists and crew set sail for Antarctica last Tuesday on NIWA's research vessel Tangaroa. Co-leader of the trip Professor Craig Stevens spoke to Paddy Gower.

    • Link to source page

      Scientists head to Antarctica to study ocean

      Radio New Zealand
      NIWA's Tangaroa research vessel will leave Wellington this afternoon and take about eight days to get to the Ross Ice Shelf, more than 3500km south of Aotearoa.

    • Link to source page

      Secrets of the sea put under the microscope to study climate change impacts

      Otago Daily Times
      Research treasures from the depths of the Ross Sea Marine Protected Area (MPA) are now being studied by University of Otago researchers.

    • Link to source page

      Miles

      Venture south to track impact of warming world

      Otago Daily Times
      University of Otago marine science head of department Prof Miles Lamare is one of five aboard from Otago who will take part in what will ultimately be a roughly six-week scientific expedition.

    • Link to source page

      The hindu

      Indian researcher exploring Ross Sea area in Antarctica

      The Hindu
      India is participating in the 40-day expedition in association with the National Institute of Water and Atmosphere, New Zealand, as a permanent member of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources to assess the diversity and distribution of the living resources in the Ross Sea area