A sketch of China's first self-made icebreaker Xuelong 2. (Photo provided by State Oceanic Administration)
China's first self-made icebreaker has been named Xuelong 2, Chinese media reported, quoting sources from the Polar Research Institute of China on Sept. 26.
The building of the new icebreaker, which started at the end of last year, will be completed in 2019, and then the boat will join icebreaker Xuelong to promote the nation's scientific investigations, the report said.
Wang Jianzhong, deputy director-general of the institute's construction engineering department, said even though the fundamental design of Xuelong 2 was produced overseas, the detailed designs, execution and building works were all done by domestic designers and engineers. The fundamental design has been optimized and refined in the past six months. Both the bow and the stern of the new icebreaker will be able to break through ice, and the stern will be capable of breaking through a 20-meter-deep pressure ridge.
The construction of the boat is broken down into 114 fragments, which will be assembled into 11 bigger pieces to create the new icebreaker, the report said.
The Polar Research Institute of China signed an agreement on Sept. 12 to purchase a ship-born helicopter, the Leonardo AW169, it was added. The helicopter, one of the most advanced medium-sized twin helicopters in the world, is expected to be delivered in 2019, the report said. (ECNS)
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