The expedition is led by the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat in collaboration with the Geological Survey of Canada. Accompanying Oden was the Canadian icebreaker CCGC Louis S. St. Laurent, which travelled in tandem all the way to the Pole.

Captain Mattias Petersson explains:

– Considering that I have been to the North Pole with Oden four times before, this year it was easier than usual. There was not so much old ice, but more first-year ice. But this should not be interpreted as meaning that there is no ice at the Pole. We went up along the Prime Meridian and are now heading south on the other side of the globe, where considerably more ice awaits us.

When the ships reached the North Pole, everyone gathered on the bridge to await the exact position. They celebrated the achievement with non-alcoholic beverage. Oden was then moored to the ice, and both crew and researchers had the opportunity to step onto the ice, walk around, and take the obligatory group photo.

As Oden now continues south “on the other side” of the North Pole, the conditions are entirely different. Here, the ice is considerably thicker and progress is slower. At present, Oden is breaking a path for its Canadian companion, but the roles have alternated depending on the task and division of labour.