The FOM office in Kangerlussuaq is now open!

In 2025, ERC Synergy project, Green2Ice, takes over from EGRIP. Although EGRIP as a project is over, the name “EGRIP” will still be attached to the drill site.

Moving forward from the EGRIP to the Green2Ice project, the plan in 2025 is to relocate the ice core drilling camp to GRIP for replicate deep drilling and basal sampling in 2026. Thus, most of Green2Ice activity in 2025 is logistical. However, one overland traverse will serve as a science platform for associated projects e.g. PRECISE, ICELINK and AWI.

The scientific overland traverse will follow the ice flowline upstream from EGRIP to GRIP shown in the map below. The traverse team will collect full radar profiles along the line with depth sounder and accumulation radar. They will also collect surface snow samples and drill several shallow ice cores. When the team arrives at GRIP, they will use radars and digging equipment to locate and dig out the old GRIP borehole and then lower a camera into it to check that it is still accessible for the deep ice core drill.

The science and traverse team will then be replaced by a new team through the Summit station. The new team will drive the empty Pistenbully traverse train directly back to EGRIP taking the shortest route.

While the science traverse is taking place, the crew at EGRIP will take down garages and other tents, free the Dome from snow drifts and prepare all cargo from the cargo line, underground trenches and garages for transport to GRIP. The EGRIP skiway will also be removed.

When the team from the science traverse arrives back at EGRIP camp, a full heavy traverse train will be prepared, involving three Pistenbullies, sleds and the main dome.  This heavy traverse will drive to GRIP, which will take only a few days.

Immediately after the heavy traverse has arrived at the destination, the crew will begin setting up the new camp and preparing a skiway. All cargo will be unloaded, and the dome will be parked and opened.

While work on setting up the new camp is in progress, two Pistenbullies will go back to the EGRIP site and pick up all remaining cargo at EGRIP.  When this second, heavy traverse is completed, the former EGRIP camp site will be completely cleaned up, except for the EGRIP borehole casing pipe, and the GRIP site will be prepared for theGreen2Ice drilling activities in 2026

Pull-out of the entire remaining crew is planned to take place in the middle of July.

Preparing for all of this, the CPH logistical team started shipping cargo to Kangerlussuaq by sea freight, back in late summer 2024, and partial shipping by sea freight to Sisimiut + airfreight from Sisimiut to Kangerlussuaq during spring 2025. Most of the cargo has already arrived in Kangerlussuaq, but some are still on the way and will hopefully arrive in time. The freight situation in 2025 is a bit complicated due to the closure of the international airport in Kangerlussuaq.

FOM, Marie Kirk
Green2Ice Coordinator, Susanne Lilja Buchardt & Green2Ice PI, Anders Svensson