China's 16th Arctic expedition fleet sailed from Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province on Friday.

The fleet comprises three oceanographic research ships, Xuelong, Xuelong 2 and Jidi, with a fourth vessel, Tansuo-3, also participating under the auspices of the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The expedition, scheduled to run until early October, aims to enhance understanding of climate change through surveys of sea ice, hydrology, biology, ecology and atmospheric environment in key areas of the Arctic.