A large part of Russia’s oil and gas exploration fleet is utilizing South Africa’s largest harbor as a launchpad for expeditions into Antarctica. Located in Cape Town alongside Moscow’s seismic blaster ships, Rosgeo, the Kremlin’s mineral prospecting company, has been transparent about its activities in Antarctica. In a statement released in February 2020, Rosgeo announced that it had discovered oil and gas deposits equivalent to 500 billion barrels in the ecologically sensitive Southern Ocean. However, Rosgeo claims that its prospecting is solely for scientific purposes and denies any intentions to mine for minerals in Antarctica, which would violate the 1959 Antarctic Treaty.
South Africa, an ally of Russia’s, is facilitating the passage and docking of Russian vessels in its waters and harbors, which are the most developed in Africa. Other gateway countries like Australia, New Zealand, and Chile have refused to allow Russia’s prospecting ships to dock in their ports due to concerns about Russia’s activities in the Southern Ocean and the invasion of Ukraine by President Vladimir Putin in 2022. Argentina, another gateway, is currently only able to provide limited support to Russia’s West Antarctic station.
South Africa maintains a research base in Antarctica and is committed to preserving the area’s unique character. However, when questioned about Russia’s activities, Pretoria’s top polar official claimed that the government was unaware of what Russia was doing in the region. Despite Rosgeo’s frequent statements about its prospecting activities, the official insisted that there was no evidence to support the allegations.
Evidence from Rosgeo’s own statements and reports from its subsidiary PMGE in St. Petersburg indicate that Russia is actively conducting research and exploration activities in Antarctica. Seismic surveys have been completed in continental East Antarctica, and expeditions have explored West Antarctica’s Weddell Sea. The efforts of international organizations to establish a marine-protected area in the Weddell Sea have been unsuccessful due to opposition from China and Russia.
The 2021 “Action Plan” from Russian state entities outlines a grand vision for investigating Antarctica’s geological structure and minerals, including coal, copper, diamonds, gold, iron ore, and uranium. However, the South African government claims to have no knowledge of these activities and asserts its opposition to mining research in Antarctica. Despite this, the Department of Environmental Affairs continues to offer assistance to Russian expeditions, citing them as scientific research missions.
Experts argue that Russia’s activities in Antarctica are a form of prospecting, which is prohibited by the Madrid Protocol and separate from scientific research. There are growing calls for a permanent ban on mining minerals in Antarctica, as the terms of the Madrid Protocol will be up for renegotiation in 2048. Some believe that Russia’s activities may be aimed at monopolizing oil reserves in the region and preventing other countries from becoming energy competitors.
Overall, the situation raises concerns about the exploitation of Antarctica’s resources and the potential harm to its pristine ecology. The role of South Africa as a key supporter of Russia’s activities in Antarctica and its allegiance to Moscow amidst international tensions further complicates the situation.