Today (June 15), the polar research vessel Xuelong completed its return-to-yard maintenance and departed from the wharf of Jiangnan Shipyard under China State Shipbuilding Corporation. Meanwhile, Xuelong 2, which returned to the yard for maintenance at the same time, has also entered the final stage of its maintenance work. The two vessels will subsequently carry out the next Arctic research expedition as scheduled.

Just like automobiles, ships also need to return to the yard for maintenance after operating for a certain period of time. During this return-to-yard maintenance, the two research vessels, Xuelong and Xuelong 2, underwent inspection and servicing simultaneously, with all maintenance tasks arranged around the upcoming Arctic research mission.

Xuelong and Xuelong 2 are regarded as the “twin stars” of China’s polar research fleet. Xuelong functions like a “heavy-duty carrier” for polar scientific expeditions, excelling in large-scale supplies, ice-area rescue and route opening. The greatest highlight of Xuelong 2 is its bidirectional icebreaking capability. Its unique “moon pool” system connects directly to seawater, making it more convenient to deploy and recover underwater scientific research equipment.

Over the years, Xuelong and Xuelong 2 have made irreplaceable contributions to China’s Antarctic station construction, Arctic route exploration and marine scientific research.

Source: CCTV News
Reporters: Cui Xia and Li Ning, China Media Group
Link: https://news.cctv.com/2026/06/15/ARTIndEUKN5dYVKZkW9b0Ib8260615.shtml