International Programmes

Antarctica New Zealand manages the New Zealand Government’s interests in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. As well as providing logistics support to New Zealand’s Antarctic scientific programme and research funding through the Antarctic Science Platform, it also runs Scott Base, New Zealand’s only permanent base in Antarctica.

The National Science Foundation (NSF), an independent U.S. government agency, manages the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP). Through the USAP, NSF’s Office of Polar Programs (OPP) coordinates all U.S. scientific research on the continent and aboard ships in the Southern Ocean as well as related logistics support.

Since establishing the Mario Zucchelli Research Station in Terra Nova Bay in 1986, the Italian Antarctic programme has used Christchurch as their base to service the station. The base supports around 70 people and operates during the summer months, hosting a variety of scientific projects. Approximately 230 personnel pass through Christchurch each summer.

The Korean Antarctic Program operates Jang Bogo Station in Terra Nova Bay and the icebreaking research vessel, RV Araon. Since 2014, the Korean Antarctic Program has maintained its Korea-New Zealand Antarctic Cooperation Centre in Christchurch. It services investigating cryospheric evolution of Victoria Land and conservation of the marine ecosystem in the Ross Sea region. Approximately 200 Korean scientists and support staff pass through Christchurch each summer. RV Araon usually visits Lyttelton on its way to and from Antarctica four times over the summer months.

With the reopening of the Gondwana Station in Terra Nova Bay, the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) is increasing its operational relationship with Christchurch. Gondwana Station is a non-permanent facility and functions as the main operational base for the collaborative geoscientific research programme of the BGR. The base can currently host between 10-20 scientists and support staff working there over the summer months, mainly in close logistic cooperation with the Italian Antarctic programme. The main building includes living and working facilities; laboratories are not available. Scientists are usually accommodated in tents near the station.

The Polar Research Institute of China operates the Chinese Antarctic station, Qinling in Terra Nova Bay. The Qinling Station can accommodate up to 80 personnel during the summer and 30 during the winter, and is designed for multidisciplinary and multilayered observational and scientific research in atmospheric environment, marine foundational environment, and biological ecology. During the 2023-2024 research season, while the Qinling Station was under construction, the Chinese icebreaker Xuelong 2 visited Lyttelton four times for personnel rotation and replenishment to and from Antarctica.