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Construction kicks off on China's first self-built polar icebreaker to enhance research abilities

By Yang Jian | December 20, 2016, Tuesday | Online Edition

CONSTRUCTION started today on China's first self-built research vessel and icebreaker at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai.

The vessel, numbered H2560, will set off for Arctic expenditures in 2019 in a fleet with the nation's current main icebreaker Xuelong, which was renovated from a Ukrainian vessel.

"The two vessel fleet will largely enhance China's Arctic and oceanic expenditure and transportation abilities," said Yang Huigen, director with the Polar Research Institute of China. Yang and officials with the State Oceanic Administration and the shipyard triggered a cutting machine to separate the first steel plate for the new vessel, marking the beginning of the vessel construction.

Upon its completion, the 13,990-ton vessel will be 123 meters long and 22 meters wide. It can take 90 crews to sail at most 20,000 nautical miles (37,000 km).

As the highlight, it will become the world's first icebreaker that can break thick ice with both its bow and stern. It can break ice being 1.5 meter thick, comparing with Xuelong's 1 meter icebreaking ability, Yang said.

The new vessel will also be able to rotate freely to make it break through ice in a faster 5 kph sailing speed than Xuelong.

It will be equipped with cutting-edge facilities for oceanic expenditure and observation. Scientific researchers on board the new vessel will carry out researches on the Arctic Ocean, ice and atmosphere and observe the changes on the atmosphere and oceanic environment, according to the institute. The will also search for oil and gas researches as well as research on the biological resources in the Arctic regions.

In the future fleet, the new vessel will mainly be used for scientific research and some icebreaking tasks while the Xuelong will mainly transport suppliers and staff, Yang said.

The icebreaker Xuelong literally means Snow Dragon, was built in the Kherson shipyard in Ukraine in 1993. China purchased the vessel and spent 31 million yuan on refitting. The 20,000-ton Xuelong set off for its maiden expenditure in 1994.

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