China’s 1st homemade polar icebreaker slated for 2014

Shanghai (CNS) -- China's first domestically manufactured icebreaker is scheduled to be operational in time for a polar expedition in 2014, oceanic authorities announced Sunday during a press conference held for the returning 28th Chinese Antarctic expedition.

The new member to China's polar expedition can break ice up to 1.5 meters thick and satisfy the various demands of polar exploration and research, said Weng Lixin, an official from the State Oceanic Administration.

Its most significant advancement is a series of dynamic positioning devices that maintain the vessel's original route – even in blustery weather – and improve the reliability of scientific data collection.

The made-in-Russia Xuelong, or "Snow Dragon," has been in service for 18 years and can only break ice up to 1.2 meters thick. It mainly serves transportation purposes, but does not provide sufficient facilities for scientific research, Weng said.