Southern Ocean
Southern Ocean is the world’s fourth largest ocean. In 2000, by international water association it was declared as the fourth world ocean after categorizing Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean as Southern Ocean has been boundaries. The Oceans coastal area is of 17,968 kilometers in long. Southern Ocean’s total area is 2,03,27,000 square kilometer. Its average depth is 4,028 meter and the deepest point in the Southern Ocean is South Sandwich Trench, its depth is as much as 7,235 meter, Southern Ocean circulates around the Antarctica Ocean. Southern Oceans few ports are situated in the southern part, because of the snow only in summers for some time it is open. In certain ports, machines are used to break the ice for opening the path as without this, it is not possible to reach there. The major operational ports here are Rothera Station, Palmer Station, Villa Las Estella’s, and Esperanza Base, Mawson Station, Mc Mudro Station and offshore anchorages in Antarctica. Since ice conditions limit use of the most of the ports of the Southern Ocean and hence some ports require icebreaker machines for their access. Most Antarctic ports are managed and operated by the government research stations and except in emergency, they remain closed to commercial or private vessels.
