IODP Expedition 395P
Complete South Atlantic Transect Reentry Installations
Daily Science Report for 15 February 2021
Location: Repair Quay 1, Cape Town, South Africa
Science Update: Given the COVID-19 situation on the ship, the reentry installation operations planned for Expedition 395P have now been postponed. Instead, the ship will remain tied up in Cape Town. The reentry installation operations form part of the South Atlantic Transect (Expeditions 390 and 393), and will take place either before or during those expeditions.
Daily Science Report for 14 February 2021
Location: Repair Quay 1, Cape Town, South Africa
Science Update: Strict COVID-19 protocols continue to be observed. As a precaution, one of the crew members that had tested positive for COVID-19 has been moved to a hospital in Cape Town. Later in the week there will be an additional round of testing for all personnel on the ship and in the hotel.
Daily Science Report for 13 February 2021
Location: Repair Quay 1, Cape Town, South Africa
Science Update: Today we received the results of yesterday's COVID-19 tests. Three crew members tested positive. To prevent further transmission and to make room to allow crew members to isolate in single-person cabins, twelve JRSO staff and ten crew members moved off the ship to a hotel in Cape Town. The plan for Expedition 395P is under discussion by JRSO/NSF/Siem Offshore management, and the priority now is to stop transmission and eliminate the COVID-19 virus from the ship. Strict COVID-19 protocols are being observed.
Daily Science Report for 12 February 2021
Location: Repair Quay 1, Cape Town, South Africa
Science Update: JRSO staff are working on laboratory projects while strict COVID-19 protocols are being observed. All shipboard personnel were tested for COVID-19 today.
Daily Science Report for 11 February 2021
Location: Repair Quay 1, Cape Town, South Africa
Science Update: JRSO staff are working on laboratory projects while strict COVID-19 protocols are being observed. The ship will remain in Cape Town until at least February 18 and potentially longer, pending the outcome of another round of testing.
Daily Science Report for 10 February 2021
Location: Repair Quay 1, Cape Town, South Africa
Science Update: JRSO staff are working on laboratory projects while strict COVID-19 protocols are being observed.
Daily Science Report for 9 February 2021
Location: Repair Quay 1, Cape Town, South Africa
Science Update: We completed fueling at pier Eastern Mole 1. The pilot boarded at 0754 h and the last line was released at 0812 h. The ship moved back to Repair Quay 1, with the first line ashore at 0848 h. Some JRSO staff are working on laboratory projects while COVID-19 protocols are being observed.
Daily Science Report for 8 February 2021
Location: Pier Eastern Mole 1, Cape Town, South Africa
Science Update: The pilot boarded at 0345 h and the vessel transited within the harbor to bunkering pier Eastern Mole 1, arriving at 0506 h. The remainder of the day was spent loading 2200 mt of fuel. COVID-19 protocols are being observed and an additional round of testing will be required later in the week, which may impact the planned departure date.
Daily Science Report for 7 February 2021
Location: Repair Quay 1, Cape Town, South Africa
Science Update: A laboratory safety orientation was given by the Laboratory Officer to new and infrequently sailing staff. JRSO staff are working on laboratory projects. COVID-19 protocols are being observed, and the JRSO staff took their third COVID-19 test since arriving in South Africa.
Daily Science Report for 6 February 2021
Location: Repair Quay 1, Cape Town, South Africa
Science Update: The ship's safety orientation was given by the ship's doctor to new and infrequently sailing staff. JRSO staff are working on laboratory projects. COVID-19 protocols are being observed.
Daily Science Report for 5 February 2021
Location: Repair Quay 1, Cape Town, South Africa
Science Update: The Expedition 395P JRSO team boarded the vessel at 1130 h. Two-person crossover meetings were held with the five remaining off-going JRSO staff from the Expedition 390P tie-up. COVID-19 protocols are being observed.
Daily Science Report for 4 February 2021
Location: Repair Quay 1, Cape Town, South Africa
Science update: Expedition 395P officially began at 0800 h on 4 February 2021. The Expedition 395P JRSO team continued to isolate in their hotel rooms in Cape Town, following established JRSO quarantine procedure. They took the second of two COVID-19 PCR tests at 1300 h, and will board the ship on 5 February, assuming the tests are negative.
The Expedition Project Managers of the South Atlantic Transect expeditions (Estes and Williams) held a Zoom meeting with the Expedition 390 and 393 science parties to summarize the scientific measurements carried out on Expedition 390C and present the operations and measurements plan for Expedition 395P.