September 29 2025

The scientific expedition lasted 83 days and also covered the Canadian Basin and the central Arctic Ocean

China completed its 15th Arctic scientific expedition aboard the research icebreaker ‘Xuelong-2’. The icebreaker returned to Shanghai with 100 crew members and expedition participants after 83 days in the Arctic.

The expedition was organized by the Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources and was the  largest in terms of the number of vessels involved – the support vessels ‘Jidi’, ‘Shenhai-1’, and ‘Tansuo-3’ accompanied the icebreaker.

The ‘Xuelong-2’ and ‘Jidi’ operated in the Chukchi Shelf, the Canadian Basin, and the central Arctic Ocean. They conducted comprehensive marine environmental studies, interdisciplinary work in the ice edge zone, and observations in the air-ice-sea environment.

A key event during the expedition was China’s first manned dive in Arctic ice. The ‘Jiaolong’ submersible was launched from the ‘Shenhai-1’ support vessel, with the ‘Xuelong-2’ icebreaker providing logistical support. 

As previously reported by PortNews, scientists from Russian Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI), the China Arctic and Antarctic Administration, and the Polar Research Institute of China agreed to develop joint research projects in the Arctic. Chinese scientists have also been invited to join the Russian Arctic Scientific Expedition to the Svalbard Archipelago and the ‘North Pole’ drifting ice-resistant research platform.  Russian scientists, in turn, were invited to participate in expeditions on the Chinese research icebreaker ‘Xue Long 2’.

Source: https://portnews.ru/news/382571/