China Arctic/Antarctic Science, Technology and Industry: News & Discussions

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China launches first domestically built icebreaker
By ZHAO LEI | China Daily | Updated: 2018-09-10 06:52

Photo taken on Aug 14 shows the Xuelong 2 in construction at Jiangnan Shipyard Group in Shanghai. [Photo/Xinhua]

China is launching its first domestically built research icebreaker, Xuelong 2, or Snow Dragon 2, on Monday, and plans to officially put it into service in the first half of 2019, according to its builder.

A launch ceremony for the vessel will take place at Jiangnan Shipyard Group in Shanghai, China State Shipbuilding Corp, parent of the shipyard, told China Daily.

The launch means construction has basically been finished and it will soon initiate sea trials.

After the ceremony, Xuelong 2 will conduct mooring tests and undergo additional equipment installation, and will formally begin operations in the first half of 2019 if everything goes according to schedule. Its service will extensively boost China's polar research and expedition capabilities, according to the State-owned shipbuilding giant.

Construction of Xuelong 2 began in December 2016. The vessel is 122.5-meter long, 22.3-meter wide, and has a displacement of 13,990 metric tons. With a maximum speed of 15 knots, or 27.8 kilometers per hour, the icebreaker can sail on 60-day expeditions with 90 crew members and researchers, said China State Shipbuilding Corp.

It will be equipped with advanced oceanographic survey and monitoring apparatus, enabling experts to carry out research into polar ice coverage, atmospheric and environmental conditions, as well as conduct seafloor and biological resource surveys, the company added.

Wu Gang, chief designer of the icebreaker at the company's Marine Design and Research Institute in Shanghai, said the vessel is designed to break 1.5-meter-thick ice at speeds of 2 to 3 knots, and can operate in temperatures as low as-30 C.

He said the vessel will enjoy good maneuverability and adhere to strict environmental protection standards.

Chinese scientists have begun design work on a next-generation icebreaker that will be more advanced than Xuelong 2, Wu added.

The designer explained that the next-generation icebreaker will be able to break ice about 3 meters thick and endure temperatures as low as-45 C.

China now operates a single icebreaker, Xuelong, which was designed for cargo transportation rather than scientific research operations when it was built in Ukraine in 1993. The ship was purchased by China and converted to a polar research and resupply vessel.

It has carried out dozens of scientific expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic.

The nation has been paying more attention to scientific research and peaceful development in polar regions. It has conducted 34 Antarctic expeditions and eight Arctic expeditions.

The government has also published guidelines to support research and development of advanced ships for polar scientific and resource survey operations.

The new icebreaker Xuelong 2 has begun sea trial on 31st May.

 

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COSCO SHIPPING, NOVATEK, Sovcomflot and Silk Road Fund Signed an Agreement in Respect of Maritime Arctic Transport LLC
Date：2019-06-08

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In the presence of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Maxim Akimov, COSCO SHIPPING, PAO NOVATEK, PAO Sovcomflot, and Silk Road Fund signed an Agreement in respect of the Maritime Arctic Transport LLC (“MArT”) in St. Petersburg, Russia on June 7, local time. Chairman of COSCO SHIPPING Capt. Xu Lirong, Executive Director and President of Silk Road Fund Mr. Wang Yanzhi, Chairman of the Board of PAO NOVATEK Mr. Leonid Mikhelson, and President and CEO of PAO Sovcomflot Mr. Sergey Frank signed the Agreement on behalf of each party.

The signing of the Agreement is a key step taken by Chinese and Russian enterprises to actively participate in the commercialized operation of the Northern Sea Route (NSR). It will inject new opportunities and impetus for the joint development and exploitation of NSR by enterprises from the two countries.

According to the Agreement, the four parties intend to establish a long-term partnership providing for the joint development, financing and implementing year-round logistics arrangements for shipping from the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation to the Asia-Pacific region, as well as organizing transit cargo traffic along the NSR between Asia and Western Europe.

It is also agreed among the parties that this move can help push forward the development of NSR into an international commercial transport corridor between the Pacific and Atlantic basins. It will play a big part in further optimizing the international trade corridors and facilitating world connectivity and economic growth.

Executive Vice President of COSCO SHIPPING Mr. Huang Xiaowen, executives from the Strategy & Corporate Management Division and Public Relations Division, as well as heads of COSCO SHIPPING Energy and COSCO SHIPPING Europe were also present at the signing ceremony.



China COSCO Shipping Group News: COSCO SHIPPING, NOVATEK, Sovcomflot and Silk Road Fund Signed an Agreement in Respect of Maritime Arctic Transport LLC

 

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Arctic mission will trap scientists in ice to study climate
By FRANK JORDANS 2 hours ago

BREMERHAVEN, Germany (AP) — Cranes hoist cargo onto the deck, power tools scream out and workers bustle through the maze of passageways inside the German icebreaker RV Polarstern, preparations for a yearlong voyage that organizers say is unprecedented in scale and ambition.

In a couple of months, the hulking ship will set out for the Arctic packed with supplies and scientific equipment for a mission to explore the planet’s frigid far north. The icebreaker will be the base for scientists from 17 nations studying the impact of climate change on the Arctic and how it could affect the rest of the world.

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https://apnews.com/22bb76e77abd4208b8aacfed206e75c0

 

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China's second research icebreaker to enter service
By ZHAO LEI in Shanghai | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2019-07-11 11:54

China's second research icebreaker, Xuelong 2 (Snow Dragon 2), is about to be delivered to the Ministry of Natural Resources' Polar Research Institute of China at a commissioning ceremony at Jiangnan Shipyard Group in Shanghai on July 11, 2019. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

China's second research icebreaker, Xuelong 2 (Snow Dragon 2), will enter service in Shanghai on Thursday afternoon.

The ship, the country's first domestically built research icebreaker, will be delivered to the Ministry of Natural Resources' Polar Research Institute of China at a commissioning ceremony at Jiangnan Shipyard Group, which built the vessel.

Xuelong 2 will enable China to better support its polar research and expeditions, the ministry said.

The Xuelong 2 project was organized by the polar research institute.

The ship was jointly designed by Finland's Aker Arctic Technology in Helsinki and the Marine Design and Research Institute in Shanghai. Construction began at Jiangnan Shipyard Group in December 2016.

The Marine Design and Research Institute and Jiangnan Shipyard Group are both parts of China State Shipbuilding Corp, a State-owned shipbuilding conglomerate.

Xuelong 2 is 122.5 meters long, 22.3 meters wide, and has a displacement of 13,996 metric tons. With a maximum speed of 15 knots, or 27.8 kilometers per hour, it can sail more than 37,000 km in a single voyage and sustain 60-day expeditions with 90 crew members and researchers, according to China State Shipbuilding Corp.

Incorporating state-of-the-art design and advanced equipment, the icebreaker is capable of operating in any ocean.

It is equipped with world-class oceanographic survey and monitoring apparatus, allowing experts to carry out research into polar regions' physical oceanography, biodiversity, and atmospheric and environmental conditions, as well as conduct fishery resource surveys.

Before the delivery of Xuelong 2, China operated a single icebreaker, Xuelong, which was designed for cargo transportation rather than scientific research operations when it was built in Ukraine in 1993. Xuelong was purchased by China and converted into a polar research and resupply vessel. It has carried out dozens of scientific expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic.

Researchers will now test and fine-tune the scientific instruments on Xuelong 2before its first mission, China's 36th Antarctic expedition, later this year alongside Xuelong, the ministry said.

 

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China to enhance communication ability in Northeast Passage of Arctic
Source:Global Times Published: 2019/9/3 22:18:40

China's Icebreaker Xue Long with the ninth Arctic Expedition Team members on board arrives in Shanghai on September 26, 2018. Photo: IC

China's Ministry of Transport is organizing a test team to explore the nation's short-wave communication guarantee capability in the Northeast Passage (NEP) of the Arctic.

Experts on Tuesday noted that the test mirrors China's plan to normalize the route's commercial operation, both for strategic and economic reasons.

It will be the third time for China to conduct communication-related tests in the Arctic. The team will also evaluate the feasibility of building an Arctic support radio station and explore the BeiDou satellite navigation system's signal coverage in the area, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday.

"The Arctic resource race is on, and the US and Russia are already in. Normalization of the NEP could give China a head start in the competition," Zhao Junjie, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of European Studies, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

The NEP, which is also called the "Ice Silk Road", is more cost-effective than current shipping routes. It will save time, cut fuel consumption and reduce political risks, observers said.

The new sea route will be a shortcut to Western Europe compared with the current one, which transits the Malacca Strait and then passes through the Indian Ocean and the Suez Canal. The trip is about nine days (or 25 percent) shorter than the current itinerary, and the route saves 300 tons of oil, media reports said.

"The passage usually closes for more than half a year due to icebergs. The melting of glaciers in the Arctic Circle may prolong the opening period and add to the economic benefits," Zhao noted.

Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier Vladimir Rusanov recently shipped about 70,000 tons of LNG to North China's Tianjin via the Ice Silk Road, which was about 60 percent shorter than the traditional route, domestic news site ce.cn reported on Aug 27.

The test team also plans to study the BeiDou system's signal coverage, positioning accuracy and short message communication capability in the Arctic region, in a bid to provide data support for BeiDou to join the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, reported Xinhua, citing Zhao Fenglong, official of the North Sea navigation support center under the Ministry of Transport.

Zhao Junjie said that the Arctic is a critical point for the construction of the China-developed BeiDou Navigation System, which will begin global service next year, and shoring up the system in the region will greatly promote the overall navigation technology.

BeiDou has been able to provide a stable network in the Asia-Pacific and southern latitudes, Zhao Junjie noted.

 

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China's first homemade polar icebreaker to begin maiden voyage in October
Source: Xinhua| 2019-09-05 20:55:32|Editor: Li Xia

SHENZHEN, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- China's first domestically built polar icebreaker will begin its maiden voyage in October from the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.

The voyage for "Xuelong 2," or "Snow Dragon 2," will start during the seventh China Marine Economy Expo, which will run from Oct.14 to 17, according to Li Yuchun, deputy director of Shenzhen planning and natural resources bureau.

The expo will bring together more than 400 enterprises at home and abroad, including around 100 industry leaders or Fortune 500 companies, said Li.

On its maiden voyage, Xuelong 2 will sail for Antarctica together with "Xuelong," the only Chinese icebreaker in service, in the country's 36th research mission to the region, according to a previously announced plan.

The vessel is 122.5 meters long and 22.3 meters wide, with a displacement of 13,996 tonnes and a navigation capability of 20,000 nautical miles.

Xuelong 2 is able to turn quickly and has two-direction icebreaking capabilities with both its bow and stern. It can sail on 60-day expeditions to all regions of the globe, according to Hu Keyi, a technical director of Jiangnan Shipyard Group, the builder of the vessel.

"Xuelong 2 will become a major platform for China's oceanic environmental survey and scientific research in polar regions," said Qin Weijia, a director in charge of polar research with the State Oceanic Administration.

 

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Polar observation satellite will debut soon
By ZHAO LEI | China Daily | Updated: 2019-09-09 09:16

[Photo/VCG]

Network will improve country's ability to monitor Arctic and Antarctic regions

China will soon launch the first satellite in its space-based polar observation network in an attempt to improve the nation's polar research capability, according to project insiders.

The BNU-1 will be lifted atop a Long March 4B carrier rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi province before the end of this month, said Li Chun, BNU-1's project manager at Aerospace Dongfanghong Development in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. The company, which designed and built the spacecraft, is part of the China Academy of Space Technology in Beijing.

The small satellite weighs about 20 kilograms and will carry three experimental payloads - a multispectral camera; a high-resolution visible-light camera; and an automatic identification system receiver, a device for ship identification. It will work in a sun-synchronous orbit more than 730 kilometers above the Earth for up to two years.

Once put into service, it will be operated by the Joint Center for Polar Research of Chinese Universities and will mainly be tasked with observing the environmental changes of the Antarctic and Arctic, detecting and providing early warnings of ice shelf collapses and tracking the sources of smog - a hazardous atmospheric phenomenon haunting many countries, especially developing ones like China, Li said.

BNU-1 and other satellites in the network will enable China to put an end to its heavy reliance on Western companies' satellites for images and data from polar regions, he said.

Research and development of BNU-1 was initiated in February last year by researchers at Beijing Normal University's College of Global Change and Earth System Science, who called for space-based assets for their work.

Xu Guanhua, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and former minister of science and technology, was quoted in a statement previously published by Aerospace Dongfanghong Development as saying that the BNU-1 mission will be a milestone in China's polar research because it will extensively boost the country's investigations of polar regions and global environmental changes.

In the past, polar regions' data available to Chinese scientists were mainly acquired by Chinese ships and polar stations, but those means have long been restricted by tough natural conditions or the inaccessibility of many areas, experts said.

Zhang Di, the satellite's chief designer at Aerospace Dongfanghong Development, told Daily Sunshine, a Shenzhen newspaper, that the BNU-1 mission will also be useful to shipping companies as it will be capable of monitoring and reporting ice movement in sailing routes and autonomously preparing navigation routes for ships.

Orbiting the Earth 14 times a day, the satellite would support China's endeavors to develop Arctic sea lanes for the Chinese shipping industry, he said.

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Have a trip to China's Antarctic station
Source: Xinhua| 2019-09-18 16:01:12|Editor: huaxia

Photo taken on Feb. 15, 2019 shows penguins on an iceberg in Antarctica. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)

If you want to see penguins and seals, visit the Great Wall station. It is China's first research base and the most popular destination for tourists in Antarctic.

BEIJING, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Natural Resources has recently released an application guide for tourist activities at the Great Wall research station in Antarctica.

Enterprises that have travel plans to the Antarctic research station can submit applications to the ministry on working days from Sept. 15 to 30 every year, the ministry said on its website.

The Great Wall station, built in 1985, is China's first research base on the continent. It is located near a nature reserve where groups of penguins and seals are often seen.

A rubber boat with Chinese tourists sails on the sea near the Great Wall station in Antarctica, Jan. 31, 2014. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

The research station is the most popular destination for domestic tourists. With only 30 staff, it receives more than 2,000 Chinese visitors each summer and is faced with increasing pressure to perform its regular tasks and maintain its safety and environment.

China is a consultative member of the Antarctic Treaty. In order to fulfill the obligations of the international conventions, all applying enterprises must strengthen education on environmental protection for visitors, and comply with the protection requirements of the Antarctic environment, wild animals and plants, the ministry said.

China is now ranked second as a tourist source for Antarctica after the United States.

 

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China's Tian Xi vessel completed an Arctic route voyage
Source: Xinhua| 2019-09-19 11:01:48|Editor: huaxia

Photo taken on Sept.17, 2019 shows workers unloading paper pulp from Tian Xi vessel at Qingdao Port in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

China's Tian Xi vessel completed an Arctic route voyage from Helsinki to Qingdao.

QINGDAO, Sept. 19, 2019 (Xinhua) -- Tian Xi vessel of China's COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers Co., Ltd. has arrived at Qingdao Port after wrapping up a voyage through the Arctic shipping route. Returning from Finland's Helsinki, Tian Xi vessel has transported nearly 30,000 tons of high-quality paper pulp back to China.

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Crews of Tian Xi vessel line up during a welcome ceremony at Qingdao Port in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, Sept.17, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

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Photo taken on Sept.17, 2019 shows workers unloading paper pulp from Tian Xi vessel at Qingdao Port in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

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Photo taken on Sept.17, 2019 shows paper pulp being unloaded from Tian Xi vessel at Qingdao Port in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

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Photo taken on Sept.17, 2019 shows workers unloading paper pulp from Tian Xi vessel at Qingdao Port in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

 

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Xuelong 2 to berth in Shenzhen and welcome visitors
chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2019-10-08 15:34

China's first domestically built research icebreaker, Xuelong 2, or Snow Dragon 2, at a shipyard in Shanghai on Sept 10, 2018. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

China's first domestically-built polar icebreaker Xuelong 2, will berth in Shenzhen Shekou Cruise Homeport from Oct 13 to 15 and open to the public for one and a half days, bjnews.com reported.

A total of 1,200 free visiting quotas will be distributed, and those expecting a glance at the charm of Xuelong 2, or Snow Dragon 2, should book a visit through www.cimee.com.cn, the official website of China Marine Economy Expo, starting from 10:00 am on Oct 8.

The opening hours for the visit include the whole day of Oct 14 and the morning of Oct 15, according to the report. Xuelong 2 will set off on its maiden voyage to the Antarctic Pole in the afternoon, marking a new breakthrough in China's supply and support of scientific research in the polar region.

With a navigational speed of 2 to 3 knots through 1.5 meters of thick ice and 0.2 meters of thick snow, Xuelong 2 is the first two-way polar icebreaker in the world capable of ice breaking at both the bow and the stern, and can rotate 360 degrees without moving from the spot.

Equipped with world-class ocean surveying and monitoring apparatus, the icebreaker enables experts to carry out research into polar seas' physical oceanography, biodiversity, and atmospheric and environmental conditions, as well as conduct fishery resource surveys.

In cooperation with Xuelong, it will also enhance the efficiency of China's polar scientific research, the report said.

 

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China's new all-terrain vehicle to join 36th Antarctic expedition
Xinhua | Updated: 2019-10-09 14:48

China's self-developed all-terrain vehicle Nanji 2 [Photo/Construction Machinery and Equipment]

SHANGHAI -- China's self-developed all-terrain vehicle will set off to the South Pole, contributing to the country's upcoming 36th Antarctic expedition.

The vehicle Nanji 2 (Antarctica No 2), painted in red and yellow, was manufactured by Guizhou Jonyang Kinetics Co Ltd. It was delivered to the Polar Research Institute of China in Shanghai on Sunday.

Compared with previous generations, the new amphibious vehicle is equipped with an upgraded running system. It also applies new material and technologies to improve low-temperature performance and wear resistance, allowing it to work at minus 41 C. In addition, the vehicle has increased comfort for researchers with air conditioning and ventilation systems.

Its control system and other core components were all developed in China, said Lyu Qian, general manager of the manufacturer.

The vehicle is multifunctional with strong transport capacity and good adaptability to complex terrain. It can undertake various missions, including personnel and materials transportation, sea, ice and land explorations, as well as search and rescue operations.

Wei Fuhai, deputy head of the 36th Antarctic expedition, said more and more China-made equipment has been widely used in recent polar research, which is a symbol of the country's strength.

 

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Polar observation satellite will debut soon
By ZHAO LEI | China Daily | Updated: 2019-09-09 09:16

[Photo/VCG]

Network will improve country's ability to monitor Arctic and Antarctic regions

China will soon launch the first satellite in its space-based polar observation network in an attempt to improve the nation's polar research capability, according to project insiders.

The BNU-1 will be lifted atop a Long March 4B carrier rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi province before the end of this month, said Li Chun, BNU-1's project manager at Aerospace Dongfanghong Development in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. The company, which designed and built the spacecraft, is part of the China Academy of Space Technology in Beijing.

The small satellite weighs about 20 kilograms and will carry three experimental payloads - a multispectral camera; a high-resolution visible-light camera; and an automatic identification system receiver, a device for ship identification. It will work in a sun-synchronous orbit more than 730 kilometers above the Earth for up to two years.

Once put into service, it will be operated by the Joint Center for Polar Research of Chinese Universities and will mainly be tasked with observing the environmental changes of the Antarctic and Arctic, detecting and providing early warnings of ice shelf collapses and tracking the sources of smog - a hazardous atmospheric phenomenon haunting many countries, especially developing ones like China, Li said.

BNU-1 and other satellites in the network will enable China to put an end to its heavy reliance on Western companies' satellites for images and data from polar regions, he said.

Research and development of BNU-1 was initiated in February last year by researchers at Beijing Normal University's College of Global Change and Earth System Science, who called for space-based assets for their work.

Xu Guanhua, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and former minister of science and technology, was quoted in a statement previously published by Aerospace Dongfanghong Development as saying that the BNU-1 mission will be a milestone in China's polar research because it will extensively boost the country's investigations of polar regions and global environmental changes.

In the past, polar regions' data available to Chinese scientists were mainly acquired by Chinese ships and polar stations, but those means have long been restricted by tough natural conditions or the inaccessibility of many areas, experts said.

Zhang Di, the satellite's chief designer at Aerospace Dongfanghong Development, told Daily Sunshine, a Shenzhen newspaper, that the BNU-1 mission will also be useful to shipping companies as it will be capable of monitoring and reporting ice movement in sailing routes and autonomously preparing navigation routes for ships.

Orbiting the Earth 14 times a day, the satellite would support China's endeavors to develop Arctic sea lanes for the Chinese shipping industry, he said.

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China's first polar observation satellite supports polar research
Source: Xinhua| 2019-10-09 20:30:04|Editor: ZX

SHANGHAI, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- China's first polar observation satellite, the BNU-1, has successfully obtained data on polar regions, according to the satellite's chief scientist Wednesday.

After nearly one month of in-orbit testing, the satellite is working normally and conducting full-coverage observation of the Antarctic and the Arctic every day, Cheng Xiao, the chief scientist, said at the China Symposium on Polar Science 2019.

Cheng said the satellite data connection system launched on Tuesday allows scientists around the world to obtain polar observation data acquire by the satellite. Registered users can also propose new observation requirements.

The satellite continuously monitored a gigantic iceberg breaking away from the Amery Ice Shelf in east Antarctica in September, helping limit its impact on submerged buoys and investigation ships in the surrounding area.

Cheng said the satellite will help reduce China's reliance on foreign satellites for polar observation data.

"The satellite's spatial resolution reaches 75 meters, which offers more detailed information on the ice cover and the sea ice," Cheng said.

The satellite will also support China's upcoming 36th Antarctic expedition by enhancing its navigation capability in the polar ice zone.

Developed by the Beijing Normal University and Shenzhen Aerospace Dongfanghong Development Ltd., the satellite weighs 16 kg and is equipped with two cameras and one receiver. It has great significance in promoting the research of polar regions and global climate change.

 

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China's homemade icebreaker makes maiden voyage to Antarctica
By Global Times – Xinhua Source:Global Times - Xinhua Published: 2019/10/15 18:47:49

People take photos beside China's first domestically built polar icebreaker Xuelong 2, which is open to the public, in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province, on Monday. Photo: Xinhua

China's first domestically made polar icebreaker Xuelong 2, or Snow Dragon 2, started its maiden voyage to the Antarctic from the city of Shenzhen in South China's Guangdong Province on Tuesday.

Xuelong 2 will be making the country's 36th Antarctic expedition, during which its 413-member team will aim to grasp the impact of Antarctic changes on the world, improve China's ability to cope with climate change and increase participation in Antarctic global governance, said Qin Weijia, director of the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration, at a press conference held in Shenzhen, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Another icebreaker named Xuelong will also join the expedition, making it the first time that two polar icebreakers work together on a Chinese Antarctic expedition.

Visitors check out the team members' dormitory of China's 36th Antarctic expedition on Xuelong 2. Photo: Xinhua

Xuelong 2 will sail to the Zhongshan Station before conducting research in the Cosmonauts Sea and China's Great Wall Station. It is expected to return in late March 2020.

The icebreaker Xuelong will set sail from Shanghai on October 22 to the Zhongshan Station and then conduct a series of surveys and engineering projects in the Ross Sea and Amundsen Sea. It is expected to return in mid-April 2020.

The expedition will conduct multidisciplinary observations on the sea, atmosphere, ice shelf and biology. It will also carry out preliminary construction work on China's fifth Antarctic research station on Inexpressible Island.

A member of China's 36th Antarctic expedition team explains the functions of equipment on Xuelong 2 to visitors. Photo: IC

Compared with its predecessor Xuelong, Xuelong 2 is expected to perform better in icebreaking and expedition. It has two-directional icebreaking capabilities, with both its bow and stern able to continuously break ice as thick as 1.5 meters at a speed of 2-3 knots, according to its captain Zhao Yanping.

Equipped with a number of sensors, Xuelong 2 is able to acquire and process data from the whole vessel, which allows for a more intelligent expedition.

A helicopter from the Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition (CHINARE) on Xuelong 2 Photo: IC

The two vessels are expected to arrive at the Zhongshan Station around November 25, where Xuelong 2 will carry out its icebreaking tasks while Xuelong will transport goods and personnel to the station.

In addition, the two vessels will work together in Antarctica's Prydz Bay to recover and deploy sea-based buoys, said Xu Shijie, leader of China's 36th Antarctic expedition.

Global Times - Xinhua

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Crew members of Xuelong 2 wave upon arrival at a port in Shenzhen. Xuelong 2 sailed for Antarctica on its maiden voyage on Tuesday, together with another Chinese icebreaker Xuelong, in the country's 36th research mission to the region. Photo: Xinhua

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Conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) extension and retraction system in the moon pool of Xuelong 2 can carry out sampling work in dense icy areas to collect and transfer data to the computers. Photo: IC