Xue Long News

Two Chinese icebreaker research vessels and a cargo ship set sail on Wednesday for the Antarctic with more than 460 personnel on board to help complete construction of China's fifth station on the world's southernmost continent.China's biggest flotilla of research vessels deployed to the Antarctic will focus on building the station on the rocky, windswept Inexpressible Island near the Ross Sea, a deep Southern Ocean bay named after a 19th century British explorer.Work on the first Chinese station in the Pacific sector began in 2018.

On a windy August afternoon in 2017, Akitsinnguaq Ina Olsen was relaxing in the old harbor of Nuuk, Greenland's capital, when a Chinese icebreaker sailed unannounced into the Arctic island's territorial waters."I saw it by chance," Olsen, 50, told Reuters. "My first thought was: 'They're already here!' They're pretty cheeky, those Chinese."She pulled out her phone and took a picture of the 167-meter long Chinese icebreaker Xue Long (Snow Dragon), before it turned around and disappeared.The…

China's first domestically built polar icebreaker Xue Long 2 has set sail on its first mission to the Arctic, China's state-run Xinhua News Agency reports.Xuez Long 2 (Snow Dragon 2) departed Shanghai Wednesday with a team of Chinese scientists on board to conduct investigations in areas including the Chukchi Rise, Canada Basin and the central Arctic Ocean, Xinhua reports. The voyage is expected to cover some 12,000 nautical miles and conclude in late September.The expedition is said to be organized by China's Ministry of Natural Resources to study biodiversity and ecosystems…

A MacGregor project team has been involved in the polar icebreaker Xue Long (Snow Dragon) 2 project for China’s 36th Antarctic expedition from the very early stage back in 2011MacGregor is working collaboratively with the he Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC) project team and the Marine Design and Research Institute of China (MARIC) in Shanghai to develop different technical solutions required to enable deck handling equipment to operate effectively at temperatures of minus 45 degrees centigrade.MacGregor’s deck handling solution and scope of supply for Xue Long 2 comprises three offshore cranes, the research equipment deck handling systems, oceanographic winches, deck machinery and hatch covers.

Dutch multinational company AkzoNobel‘s coatings solution selected by Polar Research Institute of China to protect its first domestically built polar icebreaker, Xue Long 2 from harsh Arctic and Antarctic condition.Purpose-built to cope with thick ice sheets and the extreme challenges of polar exploration, the 12,366 ton research vessel is coated with Intershield 163 Inerta 160 from the International product range.The tried and tested abrasion resistant system has a proven 47-year track record of performing in temperatures as low as -50°C and has already been used on more than 1,600 ships and icebreakers around the world.“As a pioneer…

Finnish engineering company Aker Arctic Technology Oy said that its Arctic condensate tanker Boris Sokolov has now been transporting gas condensate from Sabetta to various ports in Europe for more than half a year.Last spring, Aker Arctic’s expedition team carried out full-scale ice trials on the vessel based on our Aker ARC 212 design.In order to evaluate the performance of the vessel, the fully-laden Boris Sokolov deviated from her regular route and headed towards the Siberian coast to seek ice conditions that were closer to the tanker’s maximum independent icebreaking capability. The analysis of the results is currently ongoing.The new Chinese icebreaking polar research vessel…

A man with a broken arm was medevaced from the Chinese research vessel Xue Long, 15 nautical miles from Nome, Alaska, Saturday morning. A smallboat crew from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley embarked the man and transferred him to the Alex Haley for further transfer to Nome. Coast Guard District 17 command center watchstanders received a relay notification from a Coast Guard liaison to China who reported a Chinese national aboard the Xue Long suffered a broken arm while conducting research in the Arctic Ocean.

Construction on China’s new state-of-the-art polar research ship is underway at Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai, China, with delivery scheduled for 2019. In 2012, the Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC) awarded a contract for the concept and basic design of the research icebreaker to Aker Arctic, who tailored the design for specific scientific missions in the Arctic and Antarctic. After the concept had been developed, Aker Arctic performed model tests in open water and ice at its Helsinki laboratory in order to verify the vessel’s performance.

Russia has more polar icebreakers than the rest of the world combined. America has one polar icebreaker and that one is well past its prime. There has been talk of sharing icebreakers. Sharing may work with allies, who are generally on the same page. Sharing will not work with Russia, which views the world as a zero-sum game. In June 2016, Russia announced the launching of Arktika, the world’s largest polar icebreaker. With a full load displacement of 33,540 tons, a length of 173.3 meters and a breadth of 34 meters, it will be capable of breaking ice up to 2.9 meters.

The Polar Research Institute of China has ordered a new 14,300gt polar research vessel. Designed by Aker Arctic Finland, it will be the first vessel of its type to be built in China, though a shipyard has yet to be named. The 122.5-meter multifunctional icebreaker will be able to handle ice up to 1.5 meters thick, achieving a continuous icebreaking speed of two to three knots. It will have an endurance of 20,000 nautical miles and with a full 90-person crew, it will be able to cruise for 60 days without resupply.

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has won an order to supply MacGregor offshore cranes and a Triplex handling system for a 14,300gt polar research vessel being built for the Polar Research Institute of China. Designed by Aker Arctic Finland, it will be the first vessel of its type to be built in China; the shipyard has yet to be named. "Our ability to deliver tailor-made packages of equipment and a reputation for successful low temperature operations were key factors in winning this contract," says William Storvik, Shiptype Group Sales Manager, MacGregor Offshore Deck Machinery. "MacGregor products have a proven track record of performance in extreme environments, which makes them ideal for this type of vessel.

ABB’s Azipod propulsion system will power a Chinese polar science research icebreaker, the first vessel of its type to be built in China. The Polar Research Institute of China ship will be fitted with two Azipod VI units with combined power of 15 MWs. Azipod features a built-in high-efficiency AC motor and fixed-pitch propeller mounted directly on the motor shaft. While mechanical thrusters have complex transmission with gears and shafts, the Azipod has only electrical cables between the power source and the electric motor.

The IMO is on the verge of adopting the Polar Code, something that is important and long overdue. The International Maritime Organization (IMO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, is on the verge of adopting the Polar Code. When implemented, it will establish the first mandatory rules for operation of commercial vessels in polar waters. This important step is long overdue. On 18 January 2010, the IMO adopted voluntary guidelines for ships operating in polar waters (Res. A.1024).

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) reported that the search for signs of the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 aircraft in the Australian search and rescue region has resumed following a day of suspension due to poor weather. Today’s operations commenced with a total of six countries now assisting in the operation: Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Japan, China and the Republic of Korea. Assisting the naval portion of the search effort, HMAS Success and China’s polar supply ship Xue Long are currently in the search area.

The maritime industry has ramped up contributions to the worldwide search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 as an international team scours for signs of the Boeing 777 which went missing nearly two weeks ago with 239 people on board. Merchant and navy ships have recently helped to relaunch a search in the Indian Ocean where Australian authorities said satellites spotted possible debris. So far, no confirmed signs of wreckage have been reported. Commercial maritime companies have pitched in to assist authorities as the hunt proceeds globally.

The Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star is scheduled to return to their homeport of Coast Guard Base Seattle at 10 a.m., Friday, March 21, 2014, following a 108-day deployment of Operation Deep Freeze 2014. Polar Star departed Seattle Dec. 3rd, 2013, and made port calls in Honolulu, Sydney, Australia, McMurdo Station, Antarctica, and Tahiti, French Polynesia. Having completed a reactivation that began four years ago, this deployment marks the first time in six years that a U.S. icebreaker has supported Operation Deep Freeze, the U.S. Antarctic Program’s resupply efforts of McMurdo Station, Antarctica. In January, Polar Star departed Sydney to assist in the rescue effort of two ships, the Russian vessel Akademik Shokalsiky and the Chinese vessel Xue Long.

China is preparing for a new period of polar exploration with its first fixed-wing aircraft and plans to build a new icebreaker for Antarctic research, report Xinhua according to information from Chinese oceanic authorities. China plans a new icebreaker and a feasibility study on the new vessel has been submitted for approval. The current icebreaker, Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, continued its research in Antarctic after being trapped by heavy floes from December last year until Jan. 7, 2014.

China’s research vessel and icebreaker 'Xue Long' has entered an area of clear water, after more than ten hours spent breaking up ice. A change in wind direction loosened the floes packed around the vessel, providing an 80-meter stretch of water for the Xuelong to navigate in, reports CNTV. The vessel's helicopter had earlier evacuated all 52 passengers from the stranded Russian ship Akademik Shokalskiy to the Australian icebreaker Aurora Australis. According to CNTV, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority…

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star was released by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority from search and rescue duties Jan. 7, following confirmation the Russian-Flagged Akademik Shokalskiy and Chinese-Flagged Xue Long are free from the Antarctic ice due to a favorable change in wind conditions. The Coast Guard Pacific Area command center received confirmation from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority at 2 p.m. Pacific Standard Time that both ships broke through the heavy ice, rendering assistance from the Polar Star no longer necessary.

Both the 'Akademik Shokalskiy' and the 'Xue Long' have managed to break free from heavy ice in Commonwealth Bay, Antarctica, informs the Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s (AMSA) Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC Australia). According to the the U.S. Coast Guard, the Cutter Polar Star was released by AMSA from search and rescue duties after the Coast Guard Pacific Area command center received confirmation that both ships had broken through the heavy ice. At about 7-30pm AEDT on Tuesday…

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter 'Polar Star' is responding to a request from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) to assist the Russian-flagged passenger expedition ship 'Akademik Shokalskiy' and the Chinese-flagged icebreaker 'Xue Long'  (which had earlier taken off the passengers from the 'Shokalsky' before becoming beset herself). The Polar Star leaves Sydney today after taking on supplies prior to its voyage to Antarctica, and it is anticipated it will take approximately seven days for the US Coast Guard Cutter to reach Commonwealth Bay, depending upon weather and ice conditions.

According to a Reuters report, the Chinese icebreaker that helped rescue 52 passengers from a Russian ship stranded in Antarctic ice found itself stuck in ice on Friday, January 3, 2014. According to the Reuters report, Snow Dragon had ferried the passengers from the stranded Russian ship to an Australian icebreaker late on Thursday. It now had concerns about its own ability to move through heavy ice, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said. The Australian icebreaker carrying the rescued passengers…

Rescue operations delayed by ice conditions. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s (AMSA) Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC Australia) has been advised this morning that sea ice conditions in the area are likely to delay today’s planned rescue of passengers from the MV Akademik Shokalskiy. It is now likely the rescue will not go ahead today. AMSA understands that current sea ice conditions prevent the barge from Aurora Australis from reaching the Chinese vessel Xue Long (Snow Dragon) and a rescue may not be possible today.