The 40th AREX research expedition to Spitsbergen set sail from Gdańsk on 17 June 2026 aboard the research vessel s/y Oceania, operated by the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, marking four decades of continuous Arctic observations.

AREX is one of the longest-running Polish Arctic monitoring programmes, with regular measurements since 1987 providing key insights into environmental change in one of the world’s most sensitive regions. The expedition continues this long-term effort to study physical, biological and biogeochemical changes in the European Arctic under accelerating climate change.

The vessel Oceania, which has supported Arctic research for over 40 years, hosts multidisciplinary studies during the expedition, including oceanographic, atmospheric and acoustic measurements.

Read more: here.

Picture Credit: IO PAN