China's 40th Antarctic scientific expedition team set sail on Wednesday morning, starting a mission expected to last over five months.
This is the first time China's Antarctic scientific research mission will be carried out by three ships.
Research icebreakers Xuelong and Xuelong 2, or Snow Dragon and Snow Dragon 2, set off from Shanghai, while cargo vessel Tian Hui departed from Zhangjiagang in East China's Jiangsu province.