An International Course on “Antarctic Navigation and Polar Sailing” has begun at NVNA. It is being conducted from September 15 to 19, 2025. The course director for the second consecutive year is Rear Admiral (Ret.) Marcelo Tarapov – former Director General of Training and Preparation in the Argentine Navy. In 2023, he was awarded the honorary title “Honorary Professor of NVNA”. In some lectures, Rear Admiral (Ret.) Tarapov is assisted by the former and current commanders of the NVNA research vessel “St. St. Cyril and Methodius” with hull number 421, Commander Nikolay Danailov and Commander Radko Muevski, respectively. Foreign participants in the course are from the Naval Academies of Norway and Romania.

The course duration is one week, during which Rear Admiral (Ret.) Tarapov will familiarize participants with the legal framework for planning Antarctic expeditions and ice navigation, the structure and regulations of the “Polar Code”, and the environmental characteristics of Antarctica. Methods and techniques for independent maneuvering in ice fields and operations with icebreaker assistance will be covered, along with necessary equipment for Antarctic navigation and safety and survival procedures. Practical exercises will be conducted using the simulators at the Navigation Department of NVNA and in the Karantina area.