China's Advanced Icebreaker Jidi Enhances Polar Research Capabilities

China's Advanced Icebreaker Jidi Enhances Polar Research Capabilities

China's self-designed and constructed icebreaker research vessel, Jidi, was officially handed over in Guangzhou, southern China, on Monday.

Built by Guangzhou Shipyard International Company Limited, the vessel can navigate the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea during winter to monitor and survey marine environments in ice-covered regions. It also offers ice-zone rescue capabilities and can perform scientific research in polar regions during the summer.

Measuring nearly 90 meters in length and 17.8 meters in width, the vessel cruises at a speed of 15 knots and can break through ice up to 1 meter thick at a speed of 2 knots.

With a total tonnage of 4,600 tonnes and a range of 14,000 nautical miles, Jidi can carry 60 crew members for up to 80 days with one resupply.

Equipped with various marine surveying instruments, the vessel can conduct comprehensive observational surveys of oceanic environments, including sea ice, geophysics, and atmospheric conditions.

The delivery of Jidi is expected to significantly boost China's polar scientific research capabilities.