China's polar icebreaker Xuelong 2 will set off on its maiden voyage from Shenzhen City, south China's Guangdong Province, to the Antarctic pole on October 15 to carry out the country's 36th Antarctic expedition. Xuelong 2 is China's first domestically-built polar research vessel and icebreaker. It officially came into service in Shanghai this year and will be fourth Chinese vessel to explore the Antarctic.