Argentina advances work at Petrel Joint Antarctic Base during the 2025/2026 Antarctic Summer Campaign

Works at Petrel Joint Antarctic Base during the 2025/2026 Antarctic Summer Campaign

As part of the 2025/2026 Antarctic Summer Campaign, Argentina kept moving forward with the reactivation of Petrel Joint Antarctic Base, reporting fresh progress on the infrastructure build-out promoted by the Ministry of Defence. Among the most notable milestones were the completion of Module I’s structural frame and major headway on Module II.

Petrel, located on Dundee Island, is viewed as a strategic facility thanks to its position and its potential role as a logistical hub in Antarctica.

Module I: structural completion adds 400 m²

According to the information released, Module I reached full structural completion during the current campaign. This stage adds around 400 m² of covered floor area to the broader building complex planned for the base, marking an important step in Petrel’s recovery programme.

Module II: external envelope installation reaches 750 m²

At the same time, work progressed on Module II, whose structure had already been finished during the previous Antarctic Summer Campaign. In this phase, teams advanced the installation of the external envelope, including the assembly of roughly 750 m² of cladding panels, in line with the scheduled construction timeline.

The module’s envelope uses solutions tailored for Antarctic conditions, such as thermal insulation systems and additional structural reinforcement. These measures are intended to cope with extreme weather while improving the facilities’ energy efficiency. During this period, the access staircase linking Modules I and II was also installed, ensuring both areas operate as an integrated unit.

Engineering planning and Antarctic logistics (TANDANOR, Argentine Army and COCOANTAR)

The works were carried out under a joint technical plan developed by shipyard TANDANOR and the Argentine Army, with the involvement of the Joint Antarctic Command (COCOANTAR). In December 2025, working sessions were held with personnel from the Engineers branch, where execution criteria adapted to the Antarctic environment were set and the assembly teams received training.

Logistics likewise proved essential to maintaining progress, including the movement of materials by the icebreaker ARA Almirante Irízar and the logistics vessel ARA *Puerto Argentino*. Together, they enabled the delivery of panels and structural components to Dundee Island under challenging operating conditions.

Images: courtesy of TANDANOR

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