Xuelong 2 will sail to the Zhongshan Station before conducting research in the Cosmonauts Sea and China's Great Wall Station. The ship is supposed to return in late March 2020.

Another icebreaker named Xuelong will also join the expedition, making it the first time that two polar icebreakers work together on China's Antarctic expedition. The two vessels are expected to arrive at the Zhongshan Station around Nov. 25, where Xuelong 2 will carry out its icebreaking tasks, while Xuelong transport goods and personnel to the station.

Xuelong 2 is able to conduct scientific research in areas with high ice density and collect data on hydrology, chemistry as well as ecology. It is equipped with a 22-meter columnar sampling device for sea sediment survey. The 90 passengers on Xuelong 2, consisting of vessel staff, expedition members and a doctor, will spend five months together. There are a dining hall, a gym, a library and a barber's on the vessel to meet their daily needs.

The expedition consisting of 413 team members will conduct multidisciplinary observations on the sea, atmosphere, ice shelf and biology. 

Maritime Business World