Brazilian Vice-President Hamilton Mourão is due to reopen today the Brazilian Antarctic research station, which has been rebuilt by China National Electronics Import and Export Corp. (CEIEC), Xinhua reports.

The Chinese government-run news agency quotes Mr Mourão as saying the reopening of the Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station on King George Island will give new impetus to research on the Antarctic and maintain the Brazilian contribution to international knowledge of science.

Mr Mourão praised on Sunday the architectural design of the rebuilt facility, which covers 4,500 square metres, can accommodate 64 researchers and has 17 laboratories, 13 more than its predecessor.

The Brazilian navy invested US$100 million in rebuilding the research base, launching a tender in 2015 after fire destroyed its predecessor in 2012, Xinhua says.