China's 40th Antarctic scientific expedition team has set sail from the home port in east China's Shanghai. The team, comprising some 460 staff from more than 80 domestic institutions, will return in April 2024 after five months of expedition. It will be the first time that China's Antarctic scientific expedition is supported by three vessels, namely the two polar icebreakers Xuelong and Xuelong-2, and a cargo ship named Tianhui.