China Set To Become 2nd Nation To Explore Arctic Seafloor With Manned Mission

China is all set for a manned mission to explore the seafloor of the Arctic Ocean. The move comes just after China conducted its first-ever patrol near Alaska’s polar waters.

If the mission is successful, China will become the second country to reach the Arctic seabed after Russia’s 2007 expedition, which controversially placed a flag at the North Pole.

China’s new polar research vessel, Tan Suo San Hao, will lead the mission and is expected to be operational by 2025.

The Tan Suo San Hao is China’s latest ice-capable research vessel, built in a record time of less than 10 months. It is part of the country’s effort to establish an advanced fleet of Arctic vessels.

The submersible for the mission has already undergone successful testing, including underwater docking and operations in icy waters.

The advanced submersible was entirely built in China, expanding the country’s polar research capabilities.

Previous missions relied on foreign technologies, but China is now building its own systems. These systems are essential for deep-sea oil and gas exploration, seabed pipeline work, and even search and rescue missions.

China’s interest in the Arctic has been increasing since 2024. During the summer and fall, China sent three icebreakers to the Arctic, while the United States had no vessels in the region.

One of these ships visited Russia’s major Arctic port, Murmansk, to strengthen the already close ties between the two nations.

In a historic first, China and Russia conducted a joint Arctic patrol, covering nearly 12,000 nautical miles and passing near Alaska’s coastline.

China’s state media praised the mission. Though China is far from the Arctic, it considers itself a near Arctic state, a claim that the U.S. and the other Arctic nations reject.

China’s interest in Arctic shipping and oil exploration has reached record levels, with more crude oil deliveries and container ships passing through the icy waters.

The U.S. and other Western countries are concerned about China’s growing presence in the Arctic and are working to improve their own Arctic capabilities.

The U.S. Coast Guard is building new heavy icebreakers, and earlier this year, Canada, Finland, and the U.S. announced a collaboration to develop new polar vessels, including icebreakers.

On the other hand, China’s latest icebreaker, Ji Di, completed its first voyage to the Arctic in August. And it doesn’t end there; China is building another icebreaker capable of cutting through ice that is more than 2 meters thick and operating year-round in polar regions.

Reference: Interesting Engineering, SCMP

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