Chinese research icebreaker Xuelong 2, or Snow Dragon 2, and cargo vessel Yong Sheng, which are on China's 41st Antarctic expedition, are moving on to carry out other tasks after wrapping up unloading operations at the Qinling Station.
The ships arrived at the Chinese research base in Antarctica on Dec 25 and the unloading operations last around five days.
The cargo includes 6,021 tons of logistics supplies, construction materials, research equipment, and fuel to support the operation of Qinling Station. The operation is being carried out by barge, with some materials and waste expected to be transported back to China.
The Ross Sea area, where the Qinling Station is located, is a region where typical natural geographical units such as the lithosphere, cryosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere in the Antarctic interact with one another, making it an ideal place for polar scientific research.
An advance team consisting of 34 members arrived early at Qinling Station in mid-November. Currently, the equipment and facilities at the station are operating smoothly, while engineering, research, and logistical support tasks are proceeding as planned.
"Our advance team mainly completed the restoration of the major construction facilities and the preparation for operations, including the maintenance of all machinery and equipment, such as transport barges, cranes, excavators, and loaders. At the same time, we also finished some basic infrastructure construction on-site, such as leveling the oil tank area and excavating the foundation, as well as leveling the new energy facility area. We have also planned the routing and infrastructure for the outdoor pipelines to ensure that our subsequent co-workers can quickly deploy and complete follow-up tasks after arriving on-site," said Wang Zhechao, leader of the station.
Xuelong 2 and Yongsheng have brought over 360 supply items weighing more than 6,000 tons, mainly including logistics support materials for the Qinling Station, materials for engineering projects, and operational and research supplies.
The expedition team has developed a detailed work plan to ensure the unloading process goes smoothly.
"The 'Xuelong 2' will soon move to carry out other research tasks, so in the coming days, our priority is the unloading of materials from the 'Xuelong 2', especially fuel for the station. The weather has been favorable these past couple of days, and the unloading is progressing very smoothly," said Hu Hongqiao, deputy leader of China's 41st Antarctic expedition team.
The 41st Antarctic Expedition mission started on Nov 1 and will last nearly seven months and is being carried out by three ships, including Xuelong, Xuelong 2, and Yong Sheng.
During the expedition, researchers will build the supporting infrastructure for the Qinling Station, investigate the impact of climate change on the Antarctic ecosystem, and conduct international research and logistics cooperation.
Chinese icebreaker, cargo vessel moving on to other tasks after unloading operations at research station
