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China's research icebreaker Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, berths at a base dock in Shanghai on April 8, 2025. Photo: VCG

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. 

The latest Antarctic expedition is an important scientific investigation conducted on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of China's first polar exploration, the Xinhua News Agency reported. 

Breakthroughs in various areas have been achieved during the expedition so far, such as technological innovation, large-scale application of domestically developed polar equipment, and international exchange and cooperation. The operation time and geographical distance have both reached historical highs, accumulating valuable experience for future large-scale, high-intensity, international, and interdisciplinary comprehensive polar investigations. This provides strong support for China and the international community to conduct in-depth research on the rapid changes in Antarctica, effectively respond to global climate change, and actively participate in Antarctic governance, an official with the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) told a press conference on Tuesday.

Wang Jinhui, leader of the expedition team, said at the press conference 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, Xinhua reported. 

According to the SOA, the 41st Antarctic 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.

Since its departure from Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province on November 1, 2024, to its arrival in Shanghai on Tuesday, Xuelong completed a 159-day journey covering over 27,000 nautical miles during the expedition, according to the SOA.  

China's first domestically built icebreaker for polar research, Xuelong 2 has a total length of 122.5 meters, a width of 22.3 meters, a designed displacement of nearly 14,000 tons and an endurance of 20,000 nautical miles.

Icebreakers are classified into three levels based on their icebreaking capability. Heavy icebreakers can handle ice up to two meters thick, medium icebreakers can break ice between one and 1.5 meters, and light icebreakers can manage ice less than 1 meter thick, Wu Gang, chief designer of Xuelong 2, told the Global Times in a previous interview.

China has developed the capability to design and construct light and medium icebreakers. The research and development of China's heavy icebreaker is progressing smoothly with construction expected to begin in 2025, according to Wu. 

China's future generation of icebreakers will make significant breakthroughs in both spatial and temporal domains. This means that once the heavy icebreaker is successfully developed, China will have the ability to operate year-round in polar environments for in-depth scientific research missions and obtain the capabilities of full-area and all-time entry, Wu noted.

Global Times

Picture shows facilities on icebreaker Xuelong on April 8, 2025. Photo: VCG

A helicopter sits on the deck of icebreaker Xuelong on April 8, 2025. Photo: VCG

Researchers and crew members work on icebreaker Xuelong on April 8, 2025. Photo: VCG

Chinese researchers for the first time utilize existing drill holes at the Larsemann Hills in East Antarctica to gather data during China's 41st Antarctic expedition. Photo: VCG

China's first domestically built icebreaker for polar research, Xuelong 2, departs from Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province, on November 1, 2024. Photo: VCG

Breaking the ice