The Australian Maritime Safety Authority says it does not yet know how much it cost to rescue passengers from a Russian ship stuck in ice in east Antarctica since Christmas Eve.
A helicopter was used on Thursday evening to transport 52 passengers from the Akademik Shokalskiy to the Australian icebreaker Aurora Australis.
Attempts by icebreakers to reach the ship itself were unsuccessful.
AMSA emergency response manager John Young said maritime conventions require ships to assist other vessels in distress and the cost is assessed later.
Mr Young said the ships involved will either bear the costs themselves or pass them on to their insurers.
