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

[JSCh]

陈甫：首船北极天然气抵达中国，它是如何穿越北冰洋的 | 观察者网
Chen Fu: The first ship of Arctic natural gas arrived in China, how does it cross the Arctic Ocean? | guancha.cn
2018-07-24 09:15:35

陈甫 Chen Fu
中国科学院遥感与数字地球研究所副研究员
Associate Researcher, Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences

据国家能源局网站7月19日消息，中俄能源合作重大项目——亚马尔液化天然气项目向中国供应的首船液化天然气(LNG)当天抵达中国。

弗拉基米尔·鲁萨诺夫号破冰LNG油轮，2018年6月26日从俄罗斯亚马尔半岛萨贝塔港出发，沿着北极东北航道，穿越白令海峡，2018年7月17日运抵中国石油旗下的江苏如东LNG接收站，交付给中国石油。我们通过遥感卫星和AIS应答系统跟踪了它的这一次重要的“破冰之旅”。
The Vladimir Russanov icebreaker LNG tanker departs from Sabatta Port, Russia, on June 26, 2018, along the northeastern Arctic Channel, across the Bering Strait, and arrived on July 17, 2018 at the Jiangsu Rudong LNG receiving station, and delivered its cargo to PetroChina. We tracked this important “ice-breaking trip” through remote sensing satellites and AIS response systems.

2018年6月23日弗拉基米尔·鲁萨诺夫号抵达亚马尔项目的萨贝塔港，开始装货。

20180623日停泊在亚马尔港口
20180623 berthed at the port of Yamal​

亚马尔半岛处于极北之地，这里刚刚迎接到春的气息，开始冰雪融化，可以看到陆地上冰雪已经比较少了，但是海湾里面还都堆着冰。

美丽的油画，前景是文本主角弗拉基米尔·鲁萨诺夫号油轮，背景是亚马尔项目

经过三天的准备，6月26日弗拉基米尔·鲁萨诺夫号离开萨贝塔港，开始这次有重要意义的新航程。

弗拉基米尔·鲁萨诺夫号在穿越拉普捷夫海(Laptev Sea)的厚冰区域
Vladimir Russanov in the thick ice area that crosses the Laptev Sea​

我们利用合成孔径雷达卫星(SAR)全天候全天时、不受云雾和黑夜影响的特点，一路跟拍，追踪它在北冰洋的行进路线。
We use the Synthetic Aperture Radar Satellite (SAR) full-time, all-weather, unaffected by clouds and nights, and follow its course in the Arctic Ocean.

这次航程的航迹图
Track map of the voyage​

北极东北航道从俄罗斯萨贝塔港出发，向东经过喀拉海、拉普捷夫海、东西伯利亚海、楚科奇海直到白令海峡。航程约10700公里，比常规苏伊士运河航线节约了约13400公里，平均用时20天左右，比通过苏伊士运河的传统航线节省20天以上。
The Arctic Northeast Passage departs from the port of Sabata, Russia, and heads east through the Kara Sea, the Laptev Sea, the Eastern Siberian Sea, and the Chukchi Sea to the Bering Strait. The voyage is about 10,700 kilometers, which is about 13,400 kilometers less than the regular Suez Canal route. The average time is about 20 days, which is 20 days less than the traditional route through the Suez Canal.

这次弗拉基米尔·鲁萨诺夫号6月26日从俄罗斯亚马尔半岛出发，7月17日到达中国江苏如东，用时21天，符合预期。
This time Vladimir Russanov departed from Russia's Yamal Peninsula on June 26 and arrived in Rudong, Jiangsu, China on July 17. It took 21 days, in line with expectations.

20180718日停泊在江苏如东LNG接收站
Berthed at Jiangsu Rudong LNG receiving station on 20180718​

弗拉基米尔·鲁萨诺夫号油轮正在卸货
The Vladimir Russanov tanker is unloading​

经过两天卸货，7月19日它已经离开如东开始回程，一点时间也不耽误。

仔细观察上面的航迹图，可以看出油轮在北冰洋上的航线还是有所选择，似乎在躲避什么。通过研究下面更细致的海况图就能明白它为什么要走一些折线。

海况结合航迹图，北冰洋区段，每日的航程用不同颜色标注
Sea conditions combined with track maps, Arctic Ocean section, daily voyages are marked with different colors​

底图为6月30日的极轨卫星上的被动式微波传感器获取的北冰洋海冰密集度图，蓝色部分是海洋（极点处因为卫星无法拍到，是无效数据），白色的部分表示海冰，其中越白表示海冰越密集（通俗点也可以说冰越多越厚）。
The above map is the Arctic Ocean sea ice concentration map obtained by the passive microwave sensor on the polar orbiting satellite on June 30. The blue part is the ocean (the pole is not shown because the satellite is unable to see that area, it is invalid data), and the white part indicates sea ice. The whiter indicates that the sea ice is denser (layman term is the more ice, the thicker).

6月底7月初，东向航线上的海冰还没有完全化冻，船长通过调整航线尽量利用无冰的海面，但是其间还是需要通过两段厚冰区。

在航线图中6月28日、7月1日~7月3日都在穿越厚冰区，其行进距离明显比在无冰的海域短，大约只有后者的一半。在7月2日竟然停航了一整天，而且是停在在图上最白的区域（海冰密集度最高的地方），大约是碰到什么麻烦。

即使是有破冰能力的LNG油轮在冰面上前进也要付出更多的能源消耗，付出更多的航行时间，也更容易碰到意想不到的情况。负责任的船长需要在海情变化多端的北冰洋中寻找一条优化的航线。

所以及时准确的北极海冰情报对于冰上丝绸之路的大规模利用是非常必要的，我们可以通过大力拓展遥感卫星应用来获取这样的能力。
Therefore, timely and accurate Arctic sea ice information is very necessary for the large-scale utilization of the Ice Silk Road. We can obtain such capabilities by vigorously expanding the application of remote sensing satellites.

本文由中科院国际合作重点项目“冰上丝绸之路北极环境和航道信息服务合作研究”及科技部重点研发专项“北极环境多要素空间观测与信息服务研究”资助；“数字丝路”高山与极地寒区任务组支持。
This article is funded by the Chinese Academy of Sciences's Key international cooperation project - “Cooperative Research on Arctic Environment and Channel Information Service on the Ice Silk Road” and Key research and development projects of the Ministry of Science and Technology - “Research on Multi-element Space Observation and Information Service in the Arctic Environment”. "Digital Silk Road" Mountain and Polar Cold Region Task Force provided support.

 

[JSCh]

Home-made underwater glider adopted for first time in China’s Arctic expedition
CGTN
Published on Jul 29, 2018

China's ninth Arctic expedition team successfully set an underwater glider from the research vessel, icebreaker Xuelong on early Saturday morning. For the next 50 days or longer, the glider will conduct hydrographic observations on the open sea area of the Bering Sea, and send back real-time data to the scientists onboard.

 

[JSCh]

New Northern Sea Route Transit Record for Christophe de Margerie
August 2, 2018

Image Courtesy: President of Russia/CC 4.0 license​

Christophe de Margerie, the icebreaking LNG carrier owned and operated by Russian shipping company Sovcomflot (SCF Group), has crossed the Northern Sea Route (NSR) in a new record time.

The vessel covered the distance of 2,360 nautical miles eastward, from the port of Sabetta (Yamal Peninsula) to Cape Dezhnev (the Bering Strait), in just seven days and 17 hours during the month of July. The vessel navigated independently without any icebreaker support, sailing at an average speed of 12.8 knots.

The LNG carrier was transporting a cargo of liquefied natural gas from the Yamal LNG plant at Sabetta to the port of Tangshan, China, where it arrived on July 31.

The completed voyage also represents the beginning of regular shipments of LNG along the NSR from Russia’s Arctic gas fields to the countries of Asia Pacific.

“This remarkable, safe passage across the NSR has required the crew’s utmost attention and concentration. Ice conditions along the route were severe, especially in the East Siberian Sea, and the vessel experienced navigation in extended periods of limited visibility. The navigational and hydrographic situation within Arctic regions remains as challenging as ever,” Igor Tonkovidov, Executive Vice President and COO/CTO of SCF Group, said.

“The crew of Christophe de Margerie was able to maintain a rapid yet safe speed for the tanker through effective organisation of bridge watch-keeping, highly skilled navigation, slowing the ship when approaching challenging ice fields and passing them at a safe speed, and moving reasonably quicker in areas of reduced ice cover.”

The 172,600 cbm Christophe de Margerie is the first in a series of 15 icebreaking LNG carriers ordered for the Yamal LNG, to transport LNG year-round in the challenging ice conditions of the Kara Sea and Gulf of Ob.

The vessel can sail independently through ice of up to 2.1 metres thick. Its propulsion system has a power capacity of 45 MW, which is comparable to that of a nuclear-powered icebreaker.

The icebreaking LNG carrier can sail unassisted along the NSR westward from Yamal all year-round, and eastward for six months of the year (from July to December).

The ships is membered by all-Russian crew numbers 29, including 13 officers, each with significant Arctic shipping experience, according to SCF.



New Northern Sea Route Transit Record for Christophe de Margerie | World Maritime News

 

[JSCh]

Chinese cargo ship Tian'en sails to Europe through Arctic
Sang Yarong China Plus Published: 2018-08-05 14:54:41

China's cargo ship Tian'en departed the port of Lianyungang in Jiangsu Province on Saturday, starting its journey through the Arctic to Europe, reports CCTV.com.

The Tian'en cargo ship berths at the port of Lianyungang in east China's Jiangsu Province on August 4. [Photo: Xinhua]

As China's first cargo ship specially designed for sailing in the polar climate, Tian'en will brave the Northeast Passage to the Arctic for the first time. The route, also called the "Polar Silk Road," links Asia to Europe through the Western Pacific Ocean, the Bering Strait and the Arctic Ocean.

A map shows the sailing route of Tain'en beginning in China through the Arctic to Europe. [Screenshot: CCTV.com]

The vessel fully loaded with wind power equipment to be imported to European countries will travel over 18,500 kilometers to its destination during its more than one month voyage.

"Travelling through the Arctic route can help shorten the travel time by 12 days and save 300 tons of fuel oil," said Liang Jie, general manager of ship management department of COSCO Shipping Specialized, the manufacturer of Tian'en.

​

 

[JSCh]

彩云香江
今天 10:31 来自 HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro
好消息！我国首制极地科学考察破冰船昨天入坞啦！

3月28日，我国首制极地科学考察破冰船H2560在江南造船正式入坞建造，这是该项目的又一个里程碑式节点。国家海洋局极地、中国极地研究中心和江南造船相关负责人参加本次极地科学考察破冰船入坞工作，上海市科委、上海海事局、中国船级社、英国劳氏船级社、中船工业集团有限公司第七〇八研究所、上海双希海事发展有限公司和中国海洋报社等单位一起现场见证了H2560入坞这一重要节点。
该船于2016年12月在江南造船开工建造，由芬兰阿克北极技术有限公司负责基本设计，中船集团第七〇八研究所负责详细设计。该科考破冰船为13000吨级，总长122.5米、型宽22.3米、结构吃水8.3米，装载能力约为4500吨，最大航速16.8节，结构强度满足PC3要求，具备双向破冰能力；装载全回转电力推进系统和DP-2动力定位系统，可同时搭载两架直升机,具有国际先进的海洋环境和地球物理调查设备；船上可搭载科考人员和船员共90人，续航力为2万海里，船上可生产淡水，自持力在额定人员编制情况下可达60天。
极地科学考察破冰船计划于 2018年 8月 28日出坞，随后开展设备系统调试和系泊试验等工作，预计 2019年上半年交船。该船交付后将与“雪龙”号组成极地考察船队，极大提升我国在极地海洋区域的综合考察能力。
(浩汉防务图片）

On 28th March, the construction of the icebreaker had moved into drydock.

China's first homemade polar icebreaker to be completed next year
New China TV
Published on Aug 15, 2018

The first Chinese-built polar icebreaker is coming soon! Xuelong 2, or Snow Dragon 2, is able to push through ice as thick as 1.5 meters.

 

[JSCh]

China enters 'unmanned era' in Arctic observation
By Cao Zinan | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2018-08-23 17:03

Chinese scientists work on the ice during the country's ninth Arctic expedition. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese scientists have installed an unmanned ice station system for the first time in the Arctic Ocean, ushering in an "unmanned era" for scientific observation of the North Pole.

The unmanned ice station was installed by scientists on the country's ninth Arctic expedition. Installment was completed on Wednesday and the observation data was successfully transmitted home .

The research stations can perform unattended observation of multiple fluxes in the ocean, the sea ice and the atmosphere, which is key to research on the changes in sea ice and air-sea-ice interactions in the Arctic, said Lei Ruibo, a scientist with the Arctic expedition team.

"The unnamed ice station is an effective supplement (to the research) in the absence of scientific expedition vessels," said Lei.

Currently, most countries use icebreakers to explore the Arctic — mainly in summer, resulting in a lack of understanding of key processes such as ice melting in spring and freezing in autumn, which are crucial to the understanding of changes in sea ice.

Working on ice is not an easy job. Scientists had to walk through snow, face piercing winds and be wary of potential ice cracks or even polar bears. In addition, changing weather in the region made it very difficult to arrange the operation.

"The unmanned ice station is independently developed by China and can observe more comprehensively," Lei Ruibo said.

"In addition, considering the harsh natural environment of the Arctic and the limited support for equipment installation, we have designed a package plan comprised of two prototypes and four subsystems, an unprecedented effort in the world," he said.

The unmanned ice station boasts a number of independently developed core technologies, such as long-term observation by light radiation inside sea ice.

In July, research icebreaker Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, set sail from Shanghai on the country's ninth Arctic research expedition which lasts for over two months.

 

[JSCh]

Chinese cargo ship Tian'en sails to Europe through Arctic
Sang Yarong China Plus Published: 2018-08-05 14:54:41

China's cargo ship Tian'en departed the port of Lianyungang in Jiangsu Province on Saturday, starting its journey through the Arctic to Europe, reports CCTV.com.

The Tian'en cargo ship berths at the port of Lianyungang in east China's Jiangsu Province on August 4. [Photo: Xinhua]

As China's first cargo ship specially designed for sailing in the polar climate, Tian'en will brave the Northeast Passage to the Arctic for the first time. The route, also called the "Polar Silk Road," links Asia to Europe through the Western Pacific Ocean, the Bering Strait and the Arctic Ocean.

A map shows the sailing route of Tain'en beginning in China through the Arctic to Europe. [Screenshot: CCTV.com]

The vessel fully loaded with wind power equipment to be imported to European countries will travel over 18,500 kilometers to its destination during its more than one month voyage.

"Travelling through the Arctic route can help shorten the travel time by 12 days and save 300 tons of fuel oil," said Liang Jie, general manager of ship management department of COSCO Shipping Specialized, the manufacturer of Tian'en.

​

Chinese ship sails to Europe through ‘Polar Silk Road’ on maiden voyage
By Xinhua Source:Global Times Published: 2018/9/2 23:13:39

A Chinese cargo ship built to plow through icy waters on Saturday successfully sailed out of the Arctic Circle to complete its first voyage within the circle.

The ship the Tian En, owned by COSCO SHIPPING Specialized Carriers Co., was heading south from the Norwegian Sea and was expected to arrive at France's Port of Rouen on Wednesday night local time, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday.

Tian En sailed through heavy seas in recent days and operation of the ships elevator was suspended for safety concern, said Xinhua.

The ship's maiden voyage through the Arctic's Northeast Passage began after it crossed the Bering Strait on August 17, a waterway that has been nicknamed the "Polar Silk Road."

"It is the shortest route linking northeast Asia and northern Europe, and more importantly it's a safe one," said Captain Chen Xiangwu, referring to the Arctic's Northeast Passage, told the Xinhua News Agency.

The Arctic Circle route brings some obvious challenges such as icebergs and pack ice.

In a white paper declaring its Arctic policy early this year, China pledged to further cooperate with other countries to jointly build a "Polar Silk Road," as part of the Belt and Road initiative.

"The Polar Silk Road is turning into a golden route," said Zhang Li, deputy general manager of the company, adding that COSCO SHIPPING is avoiding causing pollution along the waterway.

"The ship's waste is deliberately sorted and handled so that we can help build a green Polar Silk Road," Zhang said.

 

[Fabricio Tavares]

Looking forward to see the images of Xue Long 2 being launched into water in Shanghai. I guess it's already happened by this time.

 

[JSCh]

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.

 

[TaiShang]

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.

Next is nuclear ice-breaker, which will make China a truly Arctic state by designation.

 

[JSCh]

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.

 

[Fabricio Tavares]

Time-lapse video shows the flooding of the huge dry dock at Jiangnan shipyard, in Shanghai, where Xue Long 2 rested along with a cargo ship:

Here is a beautiful animation depicting the future ship:

And a time-lapse of the construction process:

 

[JSCh]

Chinese ship sails to Europe through ‘Polar Silk Road’ on maiden voyage
By Xinhua Source:Global Times Published: 2018/9/2 23:13:39

A Chinese cargo ship built to plow through icy waters on Saturday successfully sailed out of the Arctic Circle to complete its first voyage within the circle.

The ship the Tian En, owned by COSCO SHIPPING Specialized Carriers Co., was heading south from the Norwegian Sea and was expected to arrive at France's Port of Rouen on Wednesday night local time, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday.

Tian En sailed through heavy seas in recent days and operation of the ships elevator was suspended for safety concern, said Xinhua.

The ship's maiden voyage through the Arctic's Northeast Passage began after it crossed the Bering Strait on August 17, a waterway that has been nicknamed the "Polar Silk Road."

"It is the shortest route linking northeast Asia and northern Europe, and more importantly it's a safe one," said Captain Chen Xiangwu, referring to the Arctic's Northeast Passage, told the Xinhua News Agency.

The Arctic Circle route brings some obvious challenges such as icebergs and pack ice.

In a white paper declaring its Arctic policy early this year, China pledged to further cooperate with other countries to jointly build a "Polar Silk Road," as part of the Belt and Road initiative.

"The Polar Silk Road is turning into a golden route," said Zhang Li, deputy general manager of the company, adding that COSCO SHIPPING is avoiding causing pollution along the waterway.

"The ship's waste is deliberately sorted and handled so that we can help build a green Polar Silk Road," Zhang said.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1041237488835080192

China Xinhua News‏ Verified account @XHNews
Chinese cargo ship Tian En arrived at the Swedish port of Harnosand, ending its maiden voyage across the Arctic region to deliver wind power equipment to Europe

4:08 PM - 16 Sep 2018

 

[JSCh]

Adélie penguins in East Antarctica died in large numbers roughly 200 and 750 years ago, probably as a result of heavy precipitation. Credit: Cultura RF/Brett Phibbs/Getty

ECOLOGY | 10 SEPTEMBER 2018
Caches of mummified penguins warn of climate-change impacts
Two die-offs of Adélie penguins are traced to climatic episodes similar to those expected as Earth warms.

A throng of mummified penguins in Antarctica has been linked to long stretches of abnormally heavy precipitation, which caused the birds' deaths centuries ago.

Long Peninsula in East Antarctica is currently home to about 100,000 Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae), as well as numerous abandoned penguin colonies. Zhouqing Xie and Liguang Sun at the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei sampled tissue from 14 penguin carcasses found at several abandoned colonies to determine the birds’ cause of death.

Carbon dating revealed that the penguins perished in two die-offs that each lasted a decade or longer: one 750 years ago and another 200 years ago. Analysis of the sediment around the carcasses suggested that it was deposited over the course of several decades of unusually heavy rain or snow.

This precipitation pattern is becoming more common as a result of global climate change, the researchers say, which could cause more mass penguin die-offs in the future.

J. Geo. Res. Biogeo. (2018)
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Caches of mummified penguins warn of climate-change impacts : Research Highlights | Nature.com

 

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Arctic expedition finishes mission
By Zhou Wenting in Shanghai | China Daily | Updated: 2018-09-27 09:03

The Chinese icebreaker Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, rests in Shanghai on Wednesday. [Photo by Lai Xinlin/For China Daily]

Scientists report on studies of ocean changes

Two unmanned ice stations have been set up to extend China's ability to observe the northern seas, scientists from the Chinese icebreaker Xuelong said as they wrapped up their most recent expedition.

The domestically developed systems will monitor the interaction of gases, ice and the ocean in the Arctic region. The project will contribute to studies of the Arctic ecosystem and marine environment, scientists said at a media briefing on Wednesday after the return of Xuelong (Snow Dragon).

Other devices, including different types of buoys, were also installed during the 69-day expedition to collect data - including seawater temperature, salinity and drift trajectory - to eventually assist in the construction of the international Arctic environmental observation network, to improve the accuracy of weather forecasting and provide a more reliable basis for preventing climate disasters, said Chen Hongxia, assistant to the chief scientist of the 131-member team.

Measuring ocean acidification and the spread of microplastics were the other major objectives of the expedition of 23,150 kilometers, following on studies from last year.

Ocean acidification is internationally acknowledged as worsening in the Arctic, mainly as a result of rising carbon dioxide emissions. Also, microplastics may trigger environmental disasters, such as the bleaching of coral reefs and negative effects on marine biodiversity, researchers said.

"After carbon from emissions are absorbed, the seawater will be acidified and changes will happen to the local ecological community," said Chen, adding that more than 3,000 bottles of water - samples from the surface to the sea floor - were collected for lab tests.

Scientists also collected samples to test for microplastics in various marine locations, including surface seawater, sediment and marine organisms.

"Lab tests will be carried out soon and will contribute to our understanding of the potential hazards of microplastics to ecosystems in the Arctic seas," Chen said.

Isotope techniques will be resorted to for the first time to study how microplastics transfer works in the ecological system and the food chain, he said.

Massive algal aggregates were discovered by the expedition, said Yang Huigen, director of the Polar Research Institute of China.

Chen added: "It means that fertility in high-altitude areas is higher than we expected and probably indicates that the activity level of creatures such as shrimp, mollusks and fish, which eat algae, is higher than we imagined."

Altogether, 124 sounding balloons, which reach an altitude of 31,000 meters on average, were released during the expedition to explore the upper atmosphere, the researchers said.

Data obtained - including temperature, humidity, air pressure, cloud height, visibility, wind direction and wind speed - were sent to the World Meteorological Organization in real time and shared globally to improve the accuracy of weather forecasting in the Arctic.