COVER N. 733 - UK - BRITISH OVERSEAS TERRITORIES - BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY 

Postmark: British Antarctic Territory - Rothera  05.03.2026

Posted on the 5th March;  Received on the 6th June 2026

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Antarctica. The last bit of land still relatively protected from international abuse, thanks to an international treaty that froze all territorial claims so as to ensure that Antarctica is a territory devoted to science and peace.

The Antarctic Treaty was signed on the 1st December 1959 by the 12 countries who had and have since maintained scientific missions in and around Antarctica - Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (now the Russian federation), the United Kingdom, and the United States of America - and it effectively puts a ban on any new territorial claims, while maintaining the current status quo (but not formally recognising) as to existing territorial claims on the continent.

One of the original treaty signers was the UK who, since the beginning of the 20th century, maintains a claim for what is known as the British Antarctic Territory, for the  region south of 60°S latitude and between longitudes 20°W and 80°W,  a claim that in itself partially overlaps those of Chile and Argentina (an example of how important this treaty is....)

UK presence in the continent is managed under the auspices of the British Antarctic Survey established in 1962, which operates five research stations in the claimed territory; Rothera on Adelaide Island; Halley Research Station on the Brunt Ice Shelf; Signy Research Station on Signy Island; Fossil Bluff logistics facility on Alexander Island and Sky Blu logistics facility in Ellsworth Land.

With the help of the Phantom, I was able to secure a cover from the British Antarctic Territory, namely from Rothera Station, to my collection. Danke Sehr, Alex!

- RRS Ernest Shackleton was launched in 1954 in Sweden as MV Arendal (III), having been bought by Falkland Islands Dependency Survey, the predecessor of the British Antarctic Survey, in 1955, when it was refurbished and renamed as RSS Ernest Shackleton. She stayed with the British Antarctic Survey until 1969, and after having passed through several owners, she was finally scrapped, as Sea Profiler, in 2011.

- Royal Research Ships was also the theme of a 6 x 76 p stamp set issued on 20NOV2017, illustrated with photographs of ships that have operated for the British Antarctic Survey. 

RRS James Clark Ross Icebreaker as launched in 1990  and served with the British Antarctic Survey until 2021, when it was sold to the Ukraine, where it now operates under the name Noosfera. Her final voyage as James Clark Ross, in 2021,  is the theme of a set of 4 stamps (68; 78 p; 1.04; 1.26 Pound) issued on 23NOV2021, illustrated with photographs of the vessel.

Postmark from Rothera Research Station, on Adelaide3 island  - 67°34′08″S 68°07′30″W .