THE latest China-developed polar research icebreaker made its debut in Guangzhou on Monday. The ice-breaking survey vessel, named Ji Di, or polar region in English, is scheduled to set sail on its inaugural expedition in the second half of this year, according to CCTV News. Measuring 89.95 meters in length and 17.8 meters in width, the icebreaker is engineered for a cruising speed of 15 nautical miles per hour, and boasts the capability to navigate through different challenging icy terrains globally. With a total tonnage of 4,600 tons and a range of 14,000 nautical miles, the vessel can host up to 60 people at sea for 80 days with just a single resupply, the report said. The delivery of Ji Di the icebreaker is a milestone of China’s enhanced scientific research prowess across polar regions, said Cai Ruimou, chief designer of Ji Di and a deputy general engineer with Guangzhou Shipyard International Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Ltd., the developer and manufacturer of polar research vessel. Drawing insights from China’s other polar icebreakers, such as Xuelong and Xuelong 2, Cai and his team tailored Ji Di to meet the varied scientific research demands of the country. According to the chief designer, Ji Di boasts a designed ice-breaking speed of two knots, or 3.7 kilometers per hour, when traversing first-year ice of up to 1 meter thick. Ice layers in navigation areas are typically classified as current-year ice and multi-year ice. First-year ice usually measures less than 1.2 meters in thickness while the multi-year ice can be up to 3 meters thick with formidable sea ice strength. Equipped with a full rotating electric propulsion system and a tunnel thruster, Ji Di boasts enhanced flexibility and is easy to maneuver during navigation, docking and scientific inquiries. Its onboard anti-roll system maintains indoor noise within 55 decibels, the News report said. The icebreaker features a general laboratory, a low-temperature laboratory and a data-processing center, among other facilities. The ship will be equipped with various geographical survey instruments before undertaking comprehensive environmental surveys and research missions on atmosphere, sea ice, water bodies and geophysics. The vessel will also be deployed to gather water environment data, crucial to marine economic development and environmental protection. (Claudia Wei) | 