China's Arctic expedition Xuelong ships return

Sep 30

CCTV reports that Xuelong and Xuelong 2 recently returned to Shanghai after three months of China's 16th Arctic expedition. It describes surveys of the Chukchi Plateau, Canada Basin and central Arctic, coordinated atmospheric/ice/ocean observations, increased subsurface Pacific warm-water input, a new Gakkel Ridge hydrothermal plume field and juvenile polar cod in high-latitude ice waters. It reports testing and deployment of domestic equipment, a first Chinese-satellite video call between the Arctic and Antarctic and a domestic buoy-equipment rate above 90%. The account explicitly says Jidi and Tansuo 3 remain on survey duties and are expected back in mid-October. The two ships' return does not establish completion of the entire four-ship expedition.

Xuelong and Xuelong 2 return to Shanghai from China's 16th Arctic expedition on September 30, 2026. CCTV's October 5 account reports three-month surveys, new ocean/ecosystem findings and domestic equipment testing and deployment. It expressly says Jidi and Tansuo 3 remain on survey duties with return expected in mid-October; the whole four-ship mission is not yet completed.