China's icebreaker Xuelong returns to Shanghai after fruitful Antarctic survey

SHANGHAI -- China's research icebreaker Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, arrived in Shanghai on Tuesday, marking the completion of key missions in the country's 41st Antarctic expedition, according to a press conference held on Tuesday.

The expedition involves 516 members from 118 domestic and international institutions and is being carried out by three vessels. The cargo ship Yong Sheng returned to China in January, while the research icebreaker Xuelong 2 remains on mission in the Ross Sea and is expected to return to Shanghai in June, according to Long Wei, an official with the State Oceanic Administration.

Xuelong completed a 159-day journey covering over 27,000 nautical miles, from its departure from Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, on Nov 1, 2024, to its arrival on Tuesday.

The polar expedition achieved breakthroughs in areas such as technological and methodological innovation, large-scale application of domestically developed equipment, and international collaboration. It is expected to bolster research on rapid changes in Antarctica and contribute to effective responses to global climate change.

Wang Jinhui, leader of the expedition team, said that the mission primarily focused on establishing a clean energy system, incorporating wind, solar and hydrogen power as well as energy storage facilities at China's Qinling research station in Antarctica. He added that the team also achieved significant outcomes, including the collection of data on ice sheets and penguin habitats, through investigation, monitoring, and scientific research.

China has involved multiple countries in its ongoing oceanic survey in the Ross Sea and continues to engage in various international research and collaboration projects, according to Wang.