Ji Di

This article is about State Oceanic Administration North Sea Branch research vessel. For similarly-named research vessel operated by the Sun Yat-sen University, see Zhong Shan Da Xue Ji Di.

Ji Di (simplified Chinese: 极地; traditional Chinese: 極地; lit. 'Polar') is a Chinese icebreaking research vessel built in 2024 for the State Oceanic Administration North Sea Branch.

History
China
Name	Ji Di
Operator	State Oceanic Administration North Sea Branch
Port of registry	Qingdao, China[1]
Builder	Guangzhou Shipyard International (Guangzhou, China)
Yard number	21110017
Launched	29 December 2023
Completed	22 May 2024[1]
Identification	IMO number: 9970351[2][3] Call sign: BPNU5[1]
Status	In service
General characteristics
Type	Research vessel
Tonnage	4,539 GT 1,361 NT 1,763 DWT
Displacement	5,600 t (5,500 long tons)
Length	89.95 m (295 ft)
Beam	17.8 m (58 ft)
Draft	5.5 m (18 ft)
Ice class	Polar Class 6
Installed power	Four main diesel generators
Propulsion	Diesel-electric; two ABB Azipod units (2 × 3.2 MW)
Speed	15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Range	14,000 nautical miles (26,000 km; 16,000 mi)
Endurance	80 days
Crew	60

Concurrently with Ji Di, Guangzhou Shipyard International built a slightly bigger Polar Class 4 research vessel, Tan Suo San Hao, which was delivered in December 2024.

Design

Ji Di is 89.95 metres (295 ft) long overall and has a beam of 17.8 metres (58 ft) and draft of 5.5 metres (18 ft).^[1] The 5,600-tonne (5,500-long-ton) vessel has accommodation for 60 persons, operational range of 14,000 nautical miles (26,000 km; 16,000 mi), and can remain at sea for 80 days.^[4][5]

Ji Di has a diesel-electric propulsion system with four main diesel generators and two 3.2-megawatt (4,300 hp) ABB Azipod azimuth thrusters.^[2][6] The ship's speed in open water is 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)^[1] and it can break 1-metre (3.3 ft) level ice at a speed of 1.5 to 2 knots (2.8 to 3.7 km/h; 1.7 to 2.3 mph).^[7][8]

Ji Di is built to Polar Class 6,^[2][9] the second-lowest ice class defined in the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) Unified Requirements for Polar Class Ships, which is intended for summer and autumn operation in medium first-year ice between 70 and 120 cm (28 and 47 in) in thickness that may contain small inclusions of old sea ice that has survived at least one summer without melting completely.^[10][11]

History

The ship's construction was awarded to Guangzhou Shipyard International, a subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation, in March 2022 and the construction began shortly afterwards.^[2] It was floated out on 29 December 2023^[4][5] and completed on 22 May 2024.^[1]

Ji Di, Chinese for "polar", entered service with the State Oceanic Administration North Sea Branch on 24 June 2024.^[2][12] In August, the ship left for its first voyage to the Arctic.^[13]