site.btaAntarctic Cooperation: Turkish Naval Officer Praises Polar Navigation Training at Varna Naval Academy

Upon returning from the third expedition to Antarctica, the Bulgarian research vessel Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii (RSV 421) dropped anchor for several days at the Tuzla port in Istanbul, which is home to the Turkish Naval Academy.

One of these days, Lieutenant Cigdem Yozen, an officer from the Turkish Navy, visited the Bulgarian ship. He had an exciting meeting with members of the crew, led by the ship's commanding officer Radko Muevski.

Their acquaintance with Captain Muevski dates back to Varna. Captain Yozen is the first Turkish naval officer to successfully complete the Polar Navigation Course of the Varna Naval Academy in October 2024. She is an oceanology engineer by training and has a Ph.D. She has been an officer in the Turkish Navy since 2017.

During her visit to RSV 421 in Tuzla, she was approached by by BTA to share her impressions about her training in Varna and her cooperation with Bulgarian colleagues.

"It was very exciting for me to participate in the course. We were a total of 10 people, including two colleagues from Romania. The training was thorough and memorable, supported by a lot of visual materials. The program provided us with valuable information about traveling to Antarctica, life there, the environment, and everything else you need to know," she said.

The theoretical and practical parts of the course at the Naval Academy in Varna were conducted by guest lecturer Rear Admiral (ret.) Marcelo Tarapov from the Argentine Navy.

One of the most exciting stages of the course was the practical part, Lieutenant Yozen said.

"Part of the training took place on RSV 421. We wore waterproof suits, which were very comfortable. We had a man-overboard rescue drill where we used the ship’s boats. The exercise was very intense and very well-organized. We had a presentation on the expeditions to Antarctica conducted by RSV 421. I congratulate them on the completion of the third Antarctic expedition this year. I am grateful for the chance to participate in the training," she noted.

Lieutenant Cigdem Yozen found the course at the Naval Academy in Varna especially useful in terms of international cooperation and the sharing of information.

"The information gained in the Antarctic navigation course in Varna can be used in future expeditions. I can definitely say that I am ready to participate in an Antarctic expedition thanks to the knowledge from the course," she said.

She has fond memories of Bulgaria from the days of the Varna training."We traveled by car, and I really liked the country. Varna is very beautiful, calm, and safe, and the Black Sea is magnificent. The people are friendly. I would gladly participate in an expedition to Antarctica—of course, if I get approved for one. As Ataturk said, 'Science is the most reliable guide in life,'" the Turkish officer said.

At the end of the interview, she shared an emotional moment.

"I knew when the Sv. Sv. Kiril I Metodii had sailed, and I was expecting it to enter the Bosporus. I spotted it from a distance. For a moment, I wasn’t sure it was the ship. Then, I texted to a colleague [on board] who had been with me on the course, asking if it was them, and he replied—yes, we are going through the Bosporus this very moment. I sent my congratulations to the entire crew, and it was a very feel-good moment. I am thinking about visiting Bulgaria again this summer with my family," Lieutenant Yozen said.

The first Bulgarian military research vessel RSV 421 returned to Varna on Friday, April 11, after successfully completing its third expedition to Antarctica.

The ship and its crew were welcomed with a military ceremony at the Varna Port.