China’s research icebreaker did dock at New Zealand port before heading for Antarctica

At the end of last november  a  nontraditional ceremony was held at the Lyttelton Port in Christchurch, New Zealand, to welcome the docking of Chinese research Icebreaker Xuelong 2, or (Snow Dragon 2),  which carries members of the 37th Chinese Antarctic scientific expedition, arrived in Christchurch after a 17-day voyage.

At the “contactless” welcome ceremony, a drone of the University of Canterbury (UC) delivered a Christchurch gift – a Maori element souvenir – to the deck of the ship, where about 100 crew of Xuelong 2 waved hands or small Chinese national flags to local officials standing on shore.

Click the red button for a short video
Since it departed on Nov. 10 from Shanghai,  I/B Xuelong 2 has sailed about 5,112 nautical miles. The ship is actually moored  the China’s Zhongshan Station (WAP CHN-Ø2)in Antarctica.
More info link:  http://www.china.org.cn/world/Off_the_Wire/2020-11/28/content_76958334.htm