en.Wedoany.com Reported - On April 9, 2026, the 'Xuelong', the polar research icebreaker of China's 42nd Antarctic Expedition Team, returned to Shanghai, with the team successfully completing all planned tasks. This expedition consisted of 550 members from 125 domestic and international institutions, setting new records in terms of team size, volume of routine supplies, and mission scope, yielding fruitful results.
The expedition ships 'Xuelong' and 'Xuelong 2' departed from Shanghai on November 1, 2025. The 'Xuelong' returned on April 9, 2026, after a 160-day voyage covering over 34,000 nautical miles. The 'Xuelong 2' is currently conducting the joint voyage mission "Autumn Southern Ocean Ecosystem" in Prydz Bay, Antarctica, and is expected to return to Shanghai in late May.
Overcoming multiple challenges including complex ice conditions, severe sea states, strong winds, and low temperatures, the expedition team successfully completed comprehensive surveys at 61 stations in key areas such as the waters off the Antarctic Peninsula, the Cosmonaut Sea, and the Amundsen Sea, along with the deployment and recovery of 14 sets of subsurface moorings. They also completed various survey and monitoring tasks, engineering construction, material resupply, and personnel transport at three year-round research stations, as well as via aviation and inland Antarctic operations, supporting the on-site implementation of 45 national-level scientific and technological projects across five major categories.
This expedition is a significant scientific investigation completed by China in the first year of its "15th Five-Year Plan" period. It achieved new breakthroughs in major project construction, scientific research and monitoring, testing and application of self-developed equipment, and international cooperation, providing strong support for China and the international community to deepen research on rapid changes in Antarctica, effectively respond to global climate change, and actively participate in Antarctic governance.
The main achievements of this expedition fall into five areas: First, the clean energy microgrid system, intelligent and communication systems, and scientific research observation building at the Antarctic Qinling Station were completed and put into operation, officially transitioning from supporting facility construction to operational survey, monitoring, and research. Second, China successfully completed its first Antarctic hot-water drilling test in the self-named Qilin Subglacial Lake area in East Antarctica, breaking the international record for the deepest polar hot-water drilling. Third, the domestically produced 'Snow Leopard' 6×6 wheeled vehicle completed its testing and application in the Antarctic interior, filling a gap in China's equipment for rapid personnel transport and emergency rescue on the Antarctic ground. The self-developed new-type inland cabin successfully completed on-site testing and application, effectively enhancing field operation support capabilities. Fourth, for the first time, a domestically produced ocean-bottom seismometer array was deployed in the waters near the Antarctic Peninsula. New self-developed equipment such as the Antarctic krill multi-layer collection net and bio-optical subsurface mooring module were put into use, continuously improving China's comprehensive Antarctic marine survey capabilities. Fifth, active international cooperation and humanitarian assistance were carried out. 'Snow Eagle 601' assisted in the evacuation of sick and stranded Russian expedition members, and the 'Xuelong' assisted in transporting South Korean expedition members. Support was also provided for research institutions from Portugal, the Czech Republic, Chile, as well as China's Hong Kong and Macao regions to conduct investigations, fully demonstrating the responsibility of a major country.
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