Icebreaker leaves for new Antarctic expedition

China's latest scientific expedition to Antarctica started on Friday as mission members set sail from their home base in Shanghai.

The 38th Antarctic expedition is expected to last about five and a half months. The first group of the mission crew – comprising 154 researchers and support staff members – left for the southernmost continent on board the Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, research icebreaker on Friday morning, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The ministry said in a brief statement that the mission is tasked with surveying atmospheric compositions, hydrology, weather and biological cycles to help with research on the global climate change. It will also monitor pollutants in the Southern Ocean.

The country's 37th Antarctic expedition lasted 179 days and concluded in early May. It was carried out by the Xuelong 2, the nation's first domestically built research icebreaker.

China has four research stations in the Antarctica -- Changcheng, Zhongshan, Taishan and Kunlun. It is now building a fifth station there which it intends to put into service around 2022.