China's 1st domestically made polar icebreaker Xuelong 2 visits HKSAR

China's first domestically built polar icebreaker Xuelong 2, which translates as the Snow Dragon 2, arrived in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Monday, starting a five-day open-house event, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Carrying some members of China's 40th Antarctic expedition, the vessel entered and then berthed at the Ocean Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui on Monday morning and was welcomed by several senior officials including HKSAR's Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, Zheng Yanxiong, director of the central government's liaison office in the city, and Sun Shuxian, vice-minister of natural resources and director of the State Oceanic Administration.

Hong Kong is the final stop of the vessel before it returns to its home port of Shanghai from the 40th Antarctic expedition.

This is the first time for Xuelong 2 to visit Hong Kong. In the next few days, the icebreaker will be open for free public visits and will be home to a series of events, such as video chats with Chinese researchers in Antarctica, polar science lectures and academic workshops, the ministry said in a news release.

In his welcoming address, Lee said the visit of Xuelong 2 would enhance Hong Kong people's pride in China's scientific achievements and inspire local youngsters to take part in scientific endeavors.

Sun said he hopes Hong Kong residents and enterprises could continue to support and participate in the country's polar expeditions and strengthen communication and cooperation with the mainland in this regard.

Jointly designed by Finland's Aker Arctic Technology in Helsinki and China's Marine Design and Research Institute in Shanghai, Xuelong 2 began to be constructed at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai in 2016 and was commissioned in July 2019.

Before it, China only operated a single icebreaker - Xuelong - which was designed for cargo transportation rather than scientific research operations when it was built in Ukraine in 1993. Xuelong was purchased by China and converted into a polar research and resupply vessel.

Xuelong 2 is 122.5 meters long, 22.3 m wide and has a displacement of 13,996 metric tons. With a maximum speed of 15 knots, or 27.8 kilometers per hour, the icebreaker can sail more than 37,000 km in a single voyage and carry out 60-day expeditions with 90 crew members and researchers.

Incorporating state-of-the-art design and advanced equipment, the ship is capable of operating in any ocean around the world.

It is equipped with a world-class oceanographic survey and monitoring apparatus, allowing experts to carry out research into polar regions' physical oceanography, biodiversity, and atmospheric and environmental conditions, and also conduct fishery resources surveys.

The 40th Antarctic expedition set out from Shanghai in early November and arrived in Antarctica later that month. During the mission, Chinese engineers built the nation's fifth scientific outpost in Antarctica, Qinling Station, on Inexpressible Island in Terra Nova Bay.