Icebreaker of the Week: Xue Long (Snow Dragon)
China's first polar research vessel continues to get the job done.
Xue Long (Snow Dragon)
Today, we’re taking a close look at China’s first polar research vessel (technically it is not an icebreaker, more on that in the article). We’ll begin with the basic stats:
History:
Construction began at Kherson Shipyard (Ukraine) in 1993 as a Project 10621 icebreaking cargo and supply ship for Russia. China purchased the vessel in 1994 and completed its construction as a polar research and supply vessel.
Major Upgrades:
Xue Long has been extensively upgraded, receiving a new superstructure in 2007 and a new main engine as part of a 2013 upgrade. Notably, Xue Long has a unique propulsion system for a polar vessel, with a single shaft driven directly by a low-speed engine. Low-speed engines are typically found in deep sea cargo vessels, while icebreakers normally use medium-speed engines driving shafts through gears or via a diesel-electric system.
Classification:
The ship was originally designed and built in accordance with the Soviet classification rules as a ULA class cargo vessel. At the time, ULA was the highest class available. The next highest class, UL, was roughly equivalent to 1A Super in the Finnish/Swedish ice class rules. The increase in hull strength from UL to ULA was substantial— for example, the factor that determines the magnitude of the design ice pressure that the shell plating must be capable of withstanding almost doubles from UL (ΥΛ) to ULA (ΥΛΑ):
Because of this high strength requirement, the ULA vessel Yuriy Arshenevskiy1 was reclassified as Arc7 by the Russian Registry of Ships. The modern Arc7 classification is equivalent to between PC3 and PC4, according to some modern sources (such as this one, see slides 12 and 14). However, the only way to really know where an older vessel would fit in the Polar Class rules is through structural analysis.
The Chinese Classification Society (CCS) officially classified Xue Long as B1*, as the CCS did not have a higher ice class at the time (this was before the implementation of IACS Polar Class rules).
For these reasons, estimating Xue Long’s Polar Class is not easy. Based on Yuriy Arshenevskiy’s reclassification to Arc7 and the successful Arctic operations of other ULA vessels (such as the SA-15 cargo ships, built in Finland for the USSR during the 1980s), I will stick with the PC4 estimate that I used in my original overview article on China’s polar fleet.
Some critics may point out that Xue Long has been unable to reach the North Pole, a feat accomplished by other PC4-equivalent vessels such as the U.S. Coast Guard’s medium icebreaker Healy. To those critics, I would first note that PC relates to the vessel’s strength and survivability, not its icebreaking capability. I would then remind them that Xue Long was designed and built as a cargo ship, intended to sail with an icebreaker escort, while Healy is an icebreaker.
In any case, I think this brief aside helps in demonstrating the complexities and limits inherent in comparing ships built at different times by estimating their Polar Class.
Notable Operations:
Xue Long has been the primary vessel supporting China’s Antarctic research stations since it entered service, having participated in a majority of China’s 42 Antarctic expeditions. Since 2019, it has shared this mission with Xue Long 2.
Xue Long is no stranger to Arctic waters, having been the sole vessel involved in China’s first nine Arctic research expeditions (1999, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018).
Here are some interesting events selected from these expeditions:
Surprised Canada (1999):
Despite having informed the Canadian government that it was coming, Xue Long’s visit to Tuktoyaktuk created quite the stir:
In 1999, the icebreaker [Xue Long] arrived unexpectedly in Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, Canada. Though the vessel had notified Canadian authorities that it was coming, the message was somehow disregarded, leaving the government and port officials unprepared. This incident prompted concerns over Canada’s ability to defend its Arctic coastlines, as expressed during a hearing in 2005 in the Parliament’s Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence.2
Failed to Reach the North Pole (2012):
Although Xue Long planned to reach the North Pole, it was unable to do so. From a journal of the journey published on arcticportal.org:
On the way towards the North Pole, the ice conditions became more severe, with increased proportion of thicker multi-year ice.
On August 30th, Xue Long reached its farthest point north on this cruise, at 87°39’N, 123°11’E.
Rescue of Akademik Shokalskiy and stuck in the ice (2013-2014):
When the Russian research vessel Akademik Shokalskiy became stuck in Antarctic ice on Christmas Eve 2013, two research vessels (Aurora Australis of Australia and L’Astrolabe from France) attempted but were unable to reach the vessel due to challenging weather and heavy ice. Xue Long was also unable to reach the vessel and became stuck for a few days itself. On January 2, Xue Long’s helicopter evacuated the 52 passengers (scientists, media, and students) from Akademik Shokaliskiy. After being flown to Xue Long in five flights (12 passengers at a time), they were then transferred to Aurora Australis. The crew of Akademik Shokalskiy remained behind to await better ice conditions.
On January 3, 2014, Xue Long became stuck in the ice again. According to USNI News, the Russian, Chinese, and Australian governments requested assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard’s Polar Star, which was then in port Sydney, Australia. However, a change in wind direction allowed Xue Long and Akademik Shokalskiy to get free before Polar Star arrived.
For more information, see here and here.
The Search for MH370 (2014):
Just a few months after the rescue of passengers from Akademik Shokalskiy, Xue Long participated in the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH 370. Xue Long was returning from China’s 30th Antarctic expedition when tasked to take part in the search as it was close to an area where possible debris was located.
Completes Circumnavigation of Arctic Rim (2018):
Xue Long transited both the Northern Sea Route and the Northwest Passage as it circumnavigated the North Pole for the first time.
Struck Iceberg and Broke Mast (2019):
In January of 2019, while taking part in China’s 35th Antarctic research mission, Xue Long struck an iceberg:
China's only icebreaking research ship has been showered with 250 tonnes of ice and snow after hitting an iceberg in the South Pole, breaking the ship's mast but injuring nobody on board.
The MV Xue Long, which translates as Snow Dragon, was moving through the Amundsen Sea in "dense ice" when it struck the iceberg, China's Ministry of Natural Resources said in a notice posted on its website.
The 20,000-tonne Snow Dragon was travelling at a speed of around three knots (5.56kph) at the time.
Footage shown on Chinese state television showed personnel using pickaxes, hoses and pulleys removing huge amounts of ice from the ship after the accident.
Thoughts and Comments
Xue Long is considered China’s most famous ship, and the vessel has quite a few stories to tell.
Today, it continues to be a useful and important part of supporting China’s Antarctic research stations despite being surpassed in capability by Xue Long 2.
I’m back from a busy Christmas and New Year’s season and have many articles in the works. Be sure to like, share, and subscribe so that you don’t miss any important news or analysis.
Until next time—
All the Best,
PGR
For more information about China’s polar fleet, see these previously posted articles:
Yuriy Arshenevskiy is one of the nineteen SA-15 project vessels built in Finland for the USSR between 1982 and 1987. Two of them remain in service. Their design is similar to that of the Project 10621 vessels built at Kherson, one of which became Xue Long.
Dr. Rob Huebert, Professor of Political Science at the University of Calgary and the Associate Director of the Centre for Military and Strategic Studies, said during the hearing:
“What we need is the capability of knowing, and then responding. For example, when the Chinese research vessel Xue Long shows up in Tuktoyaktuk and somebody gets it wrong in the Canadian embassy so that we are totally unprepared, we actually have the capability from a combination of air and space assets that we have the necessary RCMP, customs, health officials waiting at Tuk[toyaktuk] to do the necessary clearance.”