Xuelong 2 sets sail for first journey to Antarctic

Qin said Xuelong 2 will return to China in late March while Xuelong will come back in mid-April.

"The participation of Xuelong 2 will make the 36th Antarctic expedition China's first polar mission carried out by two icebreakers and also the expedition performed at the highest technological level," said Sun Bo, deputy director of the Shanghai-based Polar Research Institute of China.

Zhao Yanping, captain of Xuelong 2, said: "The vessel employs a lot of technologies and functions that Xuelong does not have. Its service will extensively boost our country's research capability in polar regions."

He said that to prepare for the Antarctic mission, Xuelong 2 underwent a trial run in August in the South China Sea to test its equipment.

Xuelong 2 arrived in Shenzhen on Sunday afternoon from its home port of Shanghai and will be open to 1,200 members of the general public for tours on Monday and Tuesday.