I-Ocean Nova eshiyeke ibalaselisa ukukhathazeka kokhuseleko lokuhamba ngenqanawa e-Antarctic

Esinye isikhumbuzi semingcipheko yokuhamba ngenqanawa kwenye yezona ndawo zingenabunkunkqele emhlabeni zazingqamane kumatye kunxweme lwaseAntarctica ngaphambili namhlanje.

Kwisiganeko esasine-echoes yokusekwa kwe-MV Ushaia ngoDisemba kulo nyaka uphelileyo, inqanawa eyakhiwe eDenmark i-Ocean Nova yagxothwa kwisiseko sophando sase-Argentina eSan Martin phezolo, ilindele ukukhutshwa ngumsinga.

Akukho konzakala kubi kubikiweyo ukuza kuthi ga ngoku kodwa le ngozi iye yahlaziya ingxoxo ejikeleze ukhuseleko lwenqanawa kunye nokukhula kwezokhenketho ukuya e-Antarctic.

Kwenzeka into efanayo ngongquzulwano lwe-MS Nordkapp kwisithuba esingangonyaka odlulileyo, kunye nokutshona kweMV Explorer ngoNovemba ka-2007.

Amanani abatyeleli e-Antarctic akhule kakhulu kule minyaka imbalwa idlulileyo, axhume ngepesenti ezingama-22 phakathi kowama-2006/7 no-2007/8 – asuka kuma-37,552 ukuya kuma-46,069 – esonyusa ukubakho kweengozi ngokwamanani.

Ukutshintsha kwemozulu kusenokuba ngomnye unobangela.

UGqr John Shears, umphandi weBritish Antarctic Survey, uthe iziphumo zokufudumala kwehlabathi zinokukhuthaza iinqanawa zokuhamba ngenqanawa ukuba zijonge iindawo ebezikade zingakwazi ukufikelela kuzo.

“Ngoku kukho umkhenkce wolwandle omncinci kulo mmandla kuneminyaka eyi-10 okanye eli-15 eyadlulayo,” utshilo. Imimandla ekwanti ifikeleleka ngakumbi, kwaye iinqanawa zohambo bezisiya emazantsi kuSingasiqithi weAntarctic kunangaphambili, zifikelela nakwimimandla ekude.”

Nangona kunjalo, uGqr Shears ugxininise ukuba owona mba wokhuseleko ubandakanya iinqanawa ezinkulu zokuhamba ngenqanawa, apho ukukhutshwa kwabantu abaninzi kuya kuba ngumsebenzi onzima kakhulu. Ngokwemigangatho yokuhamba ngenqanawa, i-Ocean Nova yayiyinqanawa encinci yokuhamba, ethwele abakhweli abangama-64 kunye nabasebenzi abangama-41. Iinqanawa ezinkulu zokuhamba ngenqanawa - ezinye zazo zinabakhweli abangaphezu kwe-3,000 - zithwala uninzi lwabakhenkethi abandwendwela lo mmandla.

Le nkxalabo yabelwana ngayo nguFred Griffin, we-arhente yeengcali zokuhamba, i-Cruise People.

“Ezi nqanawa zikhulu zingena kumanzi e-Antarctic ngaphandle kokwakhelwa indlela yokuhamba emkhenkceni,” utshilo.

Ngelixa i-Ocean Nova yayine-hull eyomeleziweyo, iinqanawa ezinkulu zokuhamba ngenqanawa zihlala zingena kumanzi e-Antarctic ngaphandle kokhuseleko olufanayo.

Umnumzana Griffin ucebise ukuba abaqhubi abakhulu abaya e-Antarctic kufuneka bakhuthazwe ngamandla ukuba baziqhelanise nokufuduka okupheleleyo, into ethathwa njengomgangatho kumachibi amakhulu aseMntla Melika, umzekelo.

I-International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) izama ukukhuthaza ukhenketho olukhuselekileyo, ikhupha izikhokelo kumalungu ayo ngokuzithandela. Iinqanawa ezinkulu zingamalungu ombutho, kodwa kukho inkxalabo malunga namandla ombutho ekuphembeleleni ukuziphatha kwabo. Ngaphandle korhulumente wemveli e-Antarctica, akukho ndlela icacileyo yokunyanzeliswa kwemithetho enokumisa iinqanawa zokuhamba ngenqanawa ekuboneni indawo - nangona abakhweli abehla ngokwenene kumhlaba we-Antarctica bathintelwe kwi-100 ngenqanawa nganye.

Ngelixa i-Ocean Nova inokuhamba ngokukhawuleza ihambe emanzini anamatye, iinkxalabo zokhuseleko malunga nokuhamba ngenqanawa e-Antarctic zilapha. Abakhweli kunye nabasebenzi benqanawa ngoku bayayazi loo nto kuphela.