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S. African research ship heads for Gough Island

Xinhua, September 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

A South African ship on Thursday started its mission to the Gough Island in the South Atlantic Ocean to conduct research on weather forecasts and increase the country's understanding of climate change.

Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa bid farewell to the SA Agulhas II team in Cape Town.

The team will spend 14 months on the island, according to the Department of Environmental Affairs.

Speaking at the departure, Molewa said, "Strengthening South Africa's research capabilities and collaborating with local and international academic institutions is one of the areas outlined in the National Development Plan (NDP), which charts the course for South Africa's future development."

The NDP affirms the role of research in science, technology and innovation towards achieving this government's long-term vision of a more globally competitive South Africa.

She said measuring the ocean water exchange is like taking a "pulse measurement" to note whether the global system is healthy or not.

The route the SA Agulhas II will take between South Africa and Gough Island aligns perfectly with the need to further understand these critical processes, she said.

Measurements taken by the vessel and subsurface instruments along this route are as a result of sustained efforts by South Africa and its partner countries namely France, Brazil, U.S. and Netherlands, according to Molewa.

South Africa first established a weather observation base on Gough Island over 50 years ago, sending back timely and critical data to aid in the study of global weather patterns, and with it, the attendant study of climate change patterns and fluctuations.

The data collected from the Island since 1957 has made a significant impact on the accuracy of the weather forecasts that were provided for the South Atlantic region, benefitting weather predictions over these areas as well as over Southern Africa.

The pioneering research being undertaken by the SA Agulhas II in general, and by the teams stationed at Gough Island continue to play a critical role in positioning South Africa as a global leader in weather pattern research and meteorology.

Most of the severest storms pass over the island which enable planning and mitigation measures to reduce the impacts of these severe weather events in relation to South Africa. Endit