RV Belgica ( 1884 ) Belgica was a barque - rigged steamship that was built in 1884 by Christian Brinch Jørgensen at Svelvik , Norway as the whaler Patria . In 1896 , she was purchased by Adrien de Gerlache for conversion to a research ship , taking part in the Belgian Antarctic Expedition of 1897 – 1901 , becoming the first ship to overwinter in the Antarctic . In 1902 , she was sold to Philippe , Duke of Orléans and used on expeditions to the Arctic in 1905 and from 1907 – 09 . In 1916 , she was sold and converted to a passenger and cargo ship , serving Spitsbergen from the Norwegian mainland under the name Isfjord . In 1918 , she was sold and renamed " Belgica " , being converted to a factory ship . Requisitioned by the British in April 1940 , she was used as a depôt ship , being scuttled when the Franco - British Expeditionary Force evacuated Harstad . In 2007 , plans to build a modern replica of " Belgica " were announced . Description . The ship was long , with a beam of and a draught of . She was rigged as a barque . As well as sails , the ship was propelled by a steam engine built by Nylands Verksted , Oslo . The engine drove a screw propellor that was arranged so that could be raised out of the water if necessary . History . Early history . " Patria " was built by Christian Brinch Jørgensen at Svelvik , Norway . She was built as a whaler . The ship was constructed of Pine , American Pine and Oak ribs , with thick Greenheart planks clad in oak and sheeted in Iron . The ship had a strengthened bow to enable her to operate in ice . Her designer and owner was Johan Christian Jakobsen . Antarctic expedition . In 1896 , " Patria " was bought by Adrien de Gerlache for conversion to a research ship . On 4 July 1896 , she was renamed " Belgica " . A 21 - gun salute was fired during the renaming ceremony . De Gerlache raised funds for the expedition from the Société Royale Belge de Géographie . Loaded with 40 tons of food in 10 , 000 tins , on 16 August 1897 , " Belgica " departed Antwerp , Belgium for the Antarctic , with a crew of 23 . Led by de Gerlache , the expedition included Georges Lecointe as captain of " Belgica " . Other members of the expedition included Roald Amundsen , Henryk Arctowski , Antoni Dobrowolski and Emil Racoviţă . The overloaded " Belgica " broke down in the North Sea and was forced to put into Ostend for repairs . Two crewmen deserted there and two more crewmen went ashore without permission , returning to " Belgica " drunk . At one point , " Belgica " almost rammed the Belgian ( ? ) Royal Yacht . Rio de Janeiro , Brazil was reached on 6 October 1897 . Frederick Cook joined the ship there . On reaching Montevideo , Uruguay , the cook was sacked and a Swedish replacement was hired . On the voyage between Montevideo and Punta Arenas , Chile , the engineer allowed the boiler to run dry . He was dismissed when the ship reached Punta Arenas , which was on 1 December 1897 . Further disciplinary problems at Punta Arenas resulting in the Chilean Navy being asked to intervene . The Swedish cook and three Belgian sailors were dismissed , and " Belgica " departed for the Antarctic somewhat undermanned . Sailor Carl Wiencke was lost overboard en route to Antarctica , Wiencke Island being named in his honour . " Belgica " crossed the Antarctic Circle on 15 February 1898 . On 3 March , " Belgica " became wedged in the pack ice . The crew had not prepared for overwintering in Antarctica well . De Gerlache forbade the crew to eat the penguin and seal meat that had been stockpiled because he hated eating it . As a result , scurvy became a problem on board " Belgica " . Following the death of magnetician Emile Danco on 5 June 1898 , the situation worsened . Morale worsened after the death of Nansen , the ship ' s cat , on 22 June . By 22 July , command of the ship was taken by Amundsen and Cook , as de Gerlache and Lecointe were too ill . Cook insisted that the men ate the penguin and seal meat , following which the crew rapidly recovered from the scurvy . The prospect of a second winter in Antarctica spurred the crew on in their efforts to free " Belgica " . On 14 February 1899 , " Belgica " was finally freed from the ice , although it was another month before she was able to set sail for Punta Arenas , where she arrived on 28 March . " Belgica " was repaired in Punta Arenas , then sailed for Buenos Aires , Argentina . Leaving Buenos Aires on 14 August 1899 , she sailed for home , arriving at Boulogne - sur - Mer on 30 October and Antwerp on 5 November , sparking national celebrations in Belgium . Following her return to Belgium in 1901 , " Belgica " was again used for whaling . Arctic expeditions . In 1902 , " Belgica " was sold to N C Halvorsen , and then later that year to Philippe , Duke of Orléans . In 1905 , she was used in an expedition to chart the north east coast of Greenland , Svalbard and Franz Josef Land , de Gerlache again being involved . In 1907 – 09 , " Belgica " was used in an expedition to the Arctic ] , again headed by Philippe and captained by de Gerlache . It was planned to map Arctic Russia ] , but these plans were abandoned when " Belgica " again became trapped in ice . Later history . In 1916 , " Belgica " was sold to the Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompagni , Spitsbergen and was renamed " Isfjord " . She was rebuilt to include cabins for female staff . " Isfjord " was used to carry coal and passengers between Svalbard and northern Norway . In 1918 , " Isfjord " was sold to Kristian Holst , Harstad . She was stripped of her bowsprit , dismasted and converted to a factory ship , regaining her former name " Belgica " . From the late 1930s , " Belgica " was used as a coal hulk . In April 1940 , " Belgica " was requisitioned by the Franco - British Expeditionary Force for use as a depôt ship storing high explosives . " Belgica " was scuttled when the Franco - British Expeditionary Force evacuated from Harstad . The Allied evacuation of Harstad took place on 7 and 8 June 1940 , and several British ships were also scuttled in order to avoid having them fall into German hands . The wreck of " Belgica " was discovered at Easter , 1990 . " Belgicas " anchor is an exhibit in the Polar Museum , Tromsø , Norway . The Sør - Troms Museum in Harstad plans to hold an exhibition of artefacts retrieved from " Belgica " . Replica . In 2006 , the VZW " New Belgica " was formed with the intention of constructing a replica of " Belgica " . The project was officially launched on 9 September 2007 at De Steenschuit ' s yard in Boom , Antwerp by Kris Peeters , Minister - President of Flanders . Queen Paola is the project ' s patron . Construction is scheduled for completion in 2013 . It is planned to raise the wreck of " Belgica " and to put it on display at the Belgian National Maritime Museum , Antwerp . Before the wreck is raised , the Royal Norwegian Navy will remove the remaining ammunition .