The "Italica" has served as the main Expedition vessel for the Italian national Antarctic research programme since the V1th Expedition in the 1990-91 season. It is ice strengthened and each year carries south a number of helicopters as deck cargo. It calls into Lyttelton (Christchurch's port) both on the way south and north to exchange cargo and personnel with the Italian Antarctic base depot at Christchurch Airport.

Note: The "Italica" had called into Hobart prior to arriving in Lyttelton to pick up supplies for the French Antarctic Base at Dome C which they share with the Italians. Vessels arriving in New Zealand are accorded Paquebot privileges at their first port of call entitling them to use stamps of their Country of Registry or their last Country (Port) of call.

Rear view of Italica berthed in Lyttelton

Italica being escorted by tug out of the outer harbour at Lyttelton on her way to the Antarctic.

Note: The picture at left is the view side of the postcard offered above.

It shows construction of the Italian/French joint base at Dome C called "Concordia".

The view at left shows the main Italian Antarctic Base at Terra Nova Bay.

This view has been taken in summer after most of the snow has melted.

This season the "Italica" arrived at Hobart on December 27th, 2000 to offload supplies for trans-shipment via the French "L'Astrolabe" to the joint French-Italian "Concordia"  Base. After two days in Hobart the "Italica" left for Lyttelton arriving in the early hours of 2nd January 2001 after a stormy trans-Tasman crossing. She took on board considerable supplies in Lyttelton plus her scientific party and left for Terra Nova Bay in the Ross Sea in Antarctica on the 5th of January.  She will return to Lyttelton on 27th February. Click here to see photos of her 2001 visit to Lyttelton.

Note: the "Italica" called into Hobart on 27th and 28th of December mainly to offload supplies for Concordia Base which would be taken to Dumont D'Urville  by the French vessel "L'Astrolabe". Following a rough trans-Tasman voyage the "Italica" arrived at Lyttelton in the early hours of the 2nd of January, 2001.

Picture side showing Weddell Seal & penguins

Postcard side with 3 Italian Expedition cachets

Note: The above cover has been signed by both the Expedition secretary Angela Campagnoli and the scientific programme leader Doctor Andrea Pellegrini.

The Expedition Secretary Angela Campagnoli is shown at right in her office on board the "Italica" autographing covers. Dr Andrea Pellegrini can be seen in our other Italica visit photos here.

Postcard side with 2 signatures

Picture side showing sea lion

Note: The above postcard was posted in Christchurch when  "Italica" returned from Terra Nova Bay to Lyttelton.

Note: this postcard bears an Australian stamp because "Italica" had just arrived from Hobart in Tasmania where she had off-loaded cargo for the French Dumont D'Urville Base for the overland traverse to the joint French/Italian Concordia Station.

The picture of the "Italica" at left at Lyttelton was taken on the 19th December, 2001.

Note: This postcard has an australian stamp and is correctly posted Paquebot in Christchurch which is the nearest Paquebot Post office to Lyttelton.

Note: This envelope bearing a Ross Dependency stamp was brought back on board the "Italica" and posted at the Ross Dependency Agency in Christchurch.

Note: The "Carbonant" Expedition was a research project taking Ocean floor sampling in the Ross Sea to help understand the sea bed marine ecosystem. It involved the "Italica" for a number of weeks. The envelope has been posted when the vessel returned to Lyttelton through the Ross Dependency Agency.

Note: Charles P. Hart who designed the Carbonant cachet and who has signed the envelope was one of the co- leaders of this project. He is an American marine biologist.

Note: the above polarogramme was posted through the Ross Dependency Christchurch Agency and has been cacheted (undated) on arrival at the South Pole.

The view at right shows the "Italica" working with a New Zealand helicopter.

Note: We have a variety of expedition member signatures on these envelopes which the expedition brought back on board the "Italica". The postage stamp used was issued by a approved New Zealand alternative postal issuer called "Posties Choice".

Note: This has been posted through the Ross Agency in Christchurch the same day the vessel returned to Lyttelton.

Note: the Bio-Ross programme was a joint New Zealand and Italian project to both map and sample the marine life in both the Ross Sea and in the area around the nearby Balleny Islands. It involved the "Italica" and the New Zealand vessel "Tangaroa" with several scientists from each nation working on each others vessel. The Project discoverd several new marine species. The Italica is pictured at right working on Bio-Ross.

"Italica" back in Lyttelton on 5th March, 2004

The "Italica" arrived at Lyttelton on December 27th, 2004 to start the XX Spedizione or 20th Italian Antarctic Programme Season.

The vessel is shown above and at right arriving in lyttelton on 27th December, 2004.

Note: the above postcard bears a New Zealand Post DIY $1.50 postage stamp featuring the "Italica". The postcard is backstamped on arrival in Chile on 14 January, 2005. Note the new XX Spedizione circular cachet as well as the new style map type cachet applied in green at top left.

Note: the above booklet stamps are fully postally valid and can be posted in any NZ Post letterbox. They pay airmail postage for a postcard to anywhere in the world.

The above picture is the view side of the previous item. It shows Lyttelton Harbour with the Italian Expedition ship "Italica" in the centre being assisted to her berth by 2 tugboats.

Note: the above postcard has been posted in Christchurch on 28 February, 2005, the first business day after the vessel returned from the Antarctic. The red cachet belongs to the ship's captain.

Note: The above postcard also bears a 4 lined cachet of Mario Zucchelli Station. Earlier in the season the Italian main station in Terra Nova Bay had been officially named Mario Zucchelli Station in honour of the programmes previous leader who had died in 2004.

For the 2005-06 season the "Italica" sported a new paint job.

This time her hull is over-all red which is perhaps more in keeping with her Antarctic role.

She is shown at left berthed in the Lyttelton Inner Harbour.

Note: the above postcard has the same picture on the reverse as the postcard listed as Italica 26.

The view at left shows "Italica" departing Lyttelton.

During her trip back from Terra Nova Bay, the "Italica" called into Cape Hallett to pick up a New Zealand team which had been there for several weeks. She is shown at left with her bows into the hard ice off Cape Hallett.

Cape Hallett is an old joint NZ/USA base established in the 1950's but abandoned in the 1960's.