The Chinese exploration ship Snow Dragon arrived at the Great Wall Station in western Antarctica on Thursday with more than 2,300 tons of supplies and oil.

Due to a temperature increase on Antarctica, the area around the station has been thawing and littering the surrounding sea with floating ice and several icebergs.

The ice forced the crew to unload the supplies with boats. The workers were scheduled to complete the task in eight days.

During the ship's stay, scientists were to take advanced measurements of Antarctica's key features for the drawing of China's first land cover map of the continent, expected to be published by the end of 2009.

The Snow Dragon, with more than 170 scientists, workers and crew members on board, left Shanghai on Oct. 11. The vessel was expected to set sail Nov. 21 for China's Zhongshan Station on Antarctica.