Chinese research icebreaker Xuelong arrives in Antarctica

China’s state-of-the-art polar icebreaking research vessel, Xuelong, also known as Snow Dragon, has successfully reached the renowned Great Wall Station in Antarctica.

This significant milestone marks the vessel’s involvement in China’s 40th Antarctic expedition mission, as reported by the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The icebreaker sailed nearly 3,000 nautical miles (5,556 kilometers) westward, crossing nine time zones since its departure from the Zhongshan Station, which is also in the Antarctic, on December 16.

During its stop, the expedition team will unload nearly 700 tonnes of materials including logistics support and scientific research equipment, at the Great Wall Station and load some materials and garbage from the station to be transported out.

The unloading is expected to be completed in 10 days.

Xuelong, the Chinese icebreaking research vessel, was built in 1993 at Kherson Shipyard in Ukraine and converted from an Arctic cargo ship to a polar research and resupply vessel by Hudong–Zhonghua Shipbuilding of Shanghai.

The research vessel is 167 metres (548 ft) long and has a beam of 22.6 metres (74 ft). When loaded to a draft of 9 metres (30 ft), it has a displacement of 21,025 tons.

40th Antarctic expedition

China’s 40th Antarctic scientific expedition is a five-month mission that was launched in November 2023 and comprises more than 460 researchers from over 80 domestic institutions.

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According to China’s Ministry of Natural Resources, the mission involves building a new research station on the polar continent and studying the effects of climate change on the region’s ecosystem, among other tasks.

The team is made up of three vessels, namely the polar icebreakers Xuelong and Xuelong 2, and cargo ship Tianhui.

The two icebreakers Xuelong and Xuelong-2 are tasked with conducting scientific research, carrying researchers, and delivering basic supplies, while cargo ship Tianhui transports construction materials for the new research station.

“The new base is located in the coastal region of the Ross Sea in the east Antarctic and covers an area of 5,244 square meters,” said Sun Bo, the party head of the Polar Research Institute of China which is responsible for the construction of the new station.

It can accommodate about 80 research personnel in summer and 30 people in winter and is planned for implementing multi-layer, multi-disciplinary observational and scientific research work, including the atmospheric environment, marine basic environment, and biological ecology.

The fleet is scheduled to return in April 2024, according to Long Wei, deputy director of the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration, a subsidiary of the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The expedition is expected to make new contributions to the development of international polar science and the peaceful use of Antarctica by all mankind.