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Home-grown icebreaker will have its bow and stern in the thick of it
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CONSTRUCTION started yesterday on China’s first self-built research vessel and icebreaker at Shanghai’s Jiangnan Shipyard.
It is being described as the world’s first icebreaker capable of breaking thick ice with both its bow and stern.
The vessel, numbered H2560, will set off for Arctic and Antarctic expeditions from 2019 in a fleet with the nation’s current main sole icebreaker Xuelong, which was renovated from a Ukrainian vessel.
Xuelong is currently China’s only icebreaker carrying out polar research expeditions.
“The two-vessel fleet will largely enhance China’s polar and oceanic expenditure 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’s construction.
Upon its completion, the 13,990-ton vessel will be 123 meters long and 22 meters wide. It can accommodate 90 crew, and a sailing range of up to 37,000 kilometers.
Yang said the ship could break ice being up to 1.5 meters thick, compared with Xuelong’s 1 meter ice-breaking ability.
The new vessel will also be able to rotate more freely to enable it to break through ice at a faster 5.6 kph sailing speed than Xuelong.
H2560 will be equipped with cutting-edge facilities for oceanic expenditure and observation.
Scientific researchers on board will carry out research on the polar ocean, ice and the atmosphere as well as observing oceanic environment, according to the institute. They will also search for oil, gas and biological resources in the polar regions.
The new vessel would mainly be used for scientific research and some difficult icebreaking tasks, while Xuelong would concentrate on transporting supplies and staff, Yang said.
Xuelong, which literally means Snow Dragon, was built in the Kherson shipyard in Ukraine in 1993.
China bought the vessel and spent 31 million yuan (US$4.5 million) on the initial refitting.
The 20,000-ton Xuelong’s maiden expenditure was in 1994. In its latest mission, it left the port of Shanghai last month for China’s 33rd Antarctic expedition.
A new vessel is necessary because expeditions by Xuelong alone limit China’s scientific research and resources in polar regions, in addition to deficiencies in shape, power supply, icebreaking capabilities, and research.
In January 2014, Xuelong was stuck in floating ice in Antarctica after evacuating passengers on a stranded Russian vessel.
Compared with Xuelong, the new ship will be easier to control in iced areas, making it safer for scientific research and navigation, the institute said.
The new icebreaker has been jointly designed by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation and Finland-based Aker Arctic Technology.
In addition to advanced scientific devices, the ship is environmentally friendly in compliance with international standards to protect the polar environment.
According to Yang, the vessel will be equipped with an exhaust gas cleaning system, providing a solution to tackling pollution caused by the ship.
“The advanced overall design of the new vessel not only reflect the nation’s determination to explore polar regions but also shows its attitude toward protecting such regions,” Yang said.
The nation sent its first team for scientific research in the Antarctic in 1984. Since then, China has established four scientific research stations in Antarctic region.
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