Research ice breaker Polarstern
Research and Logistics
Scientific coordinator: Dr. Ingo Schewe
News
News from aboard will be available in the Polarstern app. Below you can download the reports additionally as weekly reports.
PS 147/1 |02-03 April 2025
PS 147/1 |04-09 April 2025
PS 147/1 |10-14 April 2025
FS Polarstern on tour
Port of registry | Bremerhaven |
---|---|
Length | 118 metres |
Width | 25 metres |
Max. draught | 11.20 metres |
Max. displacement | 17,277 tons |
Empty weight | 12,012 tons |
Commissioning AWI | 1982 |
Engine | 4 x KHD RBV 8M540 |
Engine power | 19,198 PS (four engines) |
Range | 19,000 nautical miles / 80 days |
Max. speed | 16 knots |
Operation area | Everywhere including pack ice zone |
Crew | 44 |
Days on sea per year | on average approx. 305 |
Shipyard | Nobiskrug, Rendsburg and Howaldtswerke - Deutsche Werft Kiel AG, Germany |
Scientists per day / long term sailing | none / 53 |
Polarstern is not only a research vessel but also a gigantic measuring instrument. Data are constantly collected aboard, some of them are also sent consecutively to different receivers. Further information about Polarstern can be found on the following pages:
AWI
Cruise Reports (data overview)
Extern
(Kopie 11)
News

How climate change is altering the Arctic Ocean
On 29 May 2025, the Polarstern research vessel set sail from Bremerhaven for the Arctic. The destination is the AWI Hausgarten long-term observatory situated between Svalbard and Greenland, where the scientists will investigate how the ecosystems of the Arctic deep sea are reacting to changing environmental conditions as a result of rapid climate change.

Polarstern back in home port
Polarstern returned to her home port of Bremerhaven: After a good 20 weeks in the Antarctic season, the research vessel moored at the pier in the overseas harbour. Over the next six weeks, routine maintenance and repair work will take place at the Lloyd Werft shipyard.

Özdemir visits shipyard for the new Polarstern
Federal Minister of Research Cem Özdemir visited the thyssenkrupp Marine Systems shipyard in Wismar. There, he was informed about the current state of construction regarding the new research icebreaker Polarstern for the AWI.