[Commentary] The scientific research ships "Xuelong" and "Xuelong 2" affiliated to the Polar Research Center of the State Oceanic Administration of China successfully completed the 183-day 36th Antarctic scientific survey mission and returned triumphantly. The "Snow Dragon" double ship returned to Shanghai Waigaoqiao China Polar Expedition Base Wharf on April 22.

　　It is reported that on October 22, 2019, the "Xuelong 2" officially joined the Antarctic survey sequence. The two "Xuelong" and "Xuelong 2" polar expedition icebreakers formed a formation for the first time and departed from Shanghai to visit the Antarctic. This is China's first expedition to the South Pole in the "double ship operation" mode after 35 years after the first implementation of the "double ship operation" in the Antarctic investigation.

　　According to reports, during this inspection, the inspection team not only fully implemented operational observation work in key sea areas of the Southern Ocean, carried out monitoring of biodiversity, ocean acidification, microplastics, etc., but also completed the ending and energy equipment of the Antarctic Taishan Station project. The joint debugging and joint test of the joint venture, as well as the construction of supporting logistics facilities such as apron construction.

　　On March 30th, after the two ships “Xuelong” and “Xuelong 2” successively sailed away from the sea in Dimondiville, Antarctica, the Waigaoqiao border inspection station grasped the return time of the ship and the needs of the ship in advance. On April 20, the Waigaoqiao Border Inspection Station, together with the Shanghai Port Office and the Joint Inspection Unit, held a special coordination meeting to formulate details on the entry procedures, centralized isolation, boarding and sampling inspection, and diversion and transportation of the "Snow Dragon" double-ship personnel. The closed-loop management plan, and conducted on-site deductions and on-site deployment to ensure that the expedition team members and crew members will be greeted by the motherland and the people for the first time after docking at the polar center pier on April 22.

　　Reporter Chen Jing Xu Yinkang Yu Zhan Shanghai Report

Editor in charge: [Wang Kai]