All aboard for Antarctica ... a team of 38 researchers and crews is boarding NIWA's research vessel 'Tangaroa' in Wellington today

But the ship won't set sail before a precautionary five-day isolation period.

New Zealand proposed the Marine Protection Agreement in Antarctica's Ross Sea, five years ago.

Voyage Leader Joshu Mountjoy says since then, this country's been doing its best to keep the world's largest marine protected area in-check.

He says they'll do research there to understand the ecosystem, so it can be properly managed.