For the second consecutive year, China has dispatched a large-scale scientific expedition to the Arctic involving four research vessels.
According to sea-news.az that the icebreakers Xuelong, Xuelong 2, and Jidi have departed from the port of Dalian for a four-month voyage, while the research vessel Tansuo 3 is expected to join the expedition at a later stage.
China’s Ministry of Natural Resources stated that the expedition is focused on studying the impacts of climate change in the Arctic, as well as investigating the geological structure of the seabed around the Gakkel Ridge. Deep-sea submersibles named Fendouzhe and Jiaolong will also be utilized during the research.
According to experts, China’s interest in the Arctic is growing due to energy security concerns and the development of new maritime routes. The country is expanding its imports of natural gas from Russian Arctic LNG projects and increasing container shipping along the Northern Sea Route.
Within the framework of the expedition, Chinese scientists will conduct joint projects with researchers from Russia and Germany. Chinese officials believe that such scientific missions will contribute to the protection of the Arctic and a better understanding of climate change.
