AkzoNobel Coats Chinese Polar Icebreaker

China recently launched its first domestically built polar icebreaker, Xue Long 2. To help protect it from the harsh Arctic and Antarctic conditions, it turned to a coatings solution supplied by AkzoNobel.

Purpose-built to cope with thick ice sheets and the extreme challenges of polar exploration, the 12,366-ton research vessel is coated with Intershield 163 Inerta 160 from the International product range. The abrasion-resistant system has a 47-year track record of performing in temperatures as low as -50°C and has already been used on more than 1,600 ships and icebreakers around the world.

“As a pioneer in providing best-in-class marine coatings and solutions globally we’re thrilled to have worked with the Polar Research Institute of China to provide coatings for the Xue Long 2,” said Jean-Michel Gauthier, managing director of AkzoNobel’s Marine and Protective Coatings business.

The company’s products have been used throughout the exterior and interior of the new icebreaker. The Intershield 163 Inerta 160 system – which was specially developed for ice-going vessels – has been applied to the bottom and sides of the hull. It offers outstanding surface smoothness to maximize agility and icebreaking efficiency, as well as excellent anti-corrosion properties, high durability and strong resistance to shocks and cracking.

The Xue Long 2 is expected to improve China’s ability to conduct inspections in polar areas. It has greater structural strength than what was previously the country’s sole icebreaker Xue Long (which translates as Snow Dragon) and is also equipped with two-way icebreaking ability. Also, it has been fitted out with more than 7,000 “intelligent” sensory points, which can collect friction data and other information to provide a reference for designs and the manufacture of new ships in the future.
 
Its first mission – which will be China’s 36th Antarctic expedition – is expected to take place later this year.