In 2007, 150 people got a little closer to the ice than they liked when the ship M / V Explorer struck an iceberg and sank, leaving them in a life raft in freezing conditions. A total of four ships had run aground in Antarctica in the last three years.

“We were lucky. Nothing is lost in the incident, but the fact that there is no more serious consequences owed more to luck than good management,” he said in a speech. “Obviously, we are on borrowed time.”

The number of annual visitors at tourist ships have quadrupled to about 46,000 during the last 15 years, and there are fears some of the ships are not suitable for extreme conditions.

Eighty delegates from 17 countries gathered in Wellington to appear with the rules to create a safer touring ice.

Antarctic Treaty Meeting of Experts co-chair of Olav Orheim said that the ships will now Antarctic tourism with more than 2,000 passengers, something that needs to be done.

“There is no facility anywhere in Antarctica that could handle such a group of people if anything goes wrong,” said Orheim.

Recommendations are expected to include the minimum safety standards for all ships and crews as well as plans for dealing with shipwrecks and oil spills. Expected standard will be adopted by the International Maritime Organization so that they apply to all ships.

But the Antarctic tour operators say the tourism industry has formed an association with a high standard. Nathan Russ of Heritage Expeditions said he did not know if there’s a cowboy in the industry.

“Every cruise ship that operates to Antarctica is IAATO (International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators) members at this time point”.

Discussions currently scheduled to resume next May in Uruguay in the framework of the Antarctic Treaty.