Icebreakers form a ship convoy in Azov Sea
Two icebreakers of Rosmorport have commenced forming a convoy of merchant ships in the western part of the Azov Sea, the Azov Ice Operations HQ said.
The icebreakers Kapitan Demidov and Kapitan Chudinov have supplied fuel and water to the cargo ships, the Mystery K, the Amur-2505 and then will join the third ship “Lana."
Meanwhile, the icebreakers Kapitan Moshkin and Kapitan Krutov are cutting a path through hummocked ice for the M/V Zenith, the M/V Krasny Aksai and the M/V Volga-Balt 226.
Due to unfavorable weather forecast for the next few days (northwestern wind gusting 18 m / s, then south-western - of 17 m / s, shearing, ridging, ice compression) escort of cargo ship from the south to the Azov Sea was recognized as unsafe and ineffective, and all icebreakers of Rosmorport were sent to escort 11 ships from the western part of the sea.
As of 8:00 (Moscow Time), Feb. 26, there are reportedly 80 ships in the Azov Sea-based Russian ports, 13 of them have ice-class hulls. In the Sea of Azov - 14 outward bound vessels and 14 – to call at the regional ports (7 - awaiting assistance, 5 ships – en route, 2 - stricken ships).
Besides, there are now 94 vessels in the Black Sea set to pass through the Kerch Strait, 43 of them are ice-classed ships. Some ships are escorted by ice-class tugs to / from the port of Kavkaz.
Ice buildup continues in the Azov Sea. As of Feb. 20, the entire Gulf of Taganrog was covered with 40-45cm-thick fast ice, to the west of the fast ice an area of a natural ice hole (polynya) is observed. And further to the west of polynya – largely gray ice and behind it - the drifting floe, mostly gray-white. The process of ice compression, rubbles pileups and pressure ridges formation continues in the Kerch Strait and to the west of the Sea of Azov with 3m-high ice hummocks. The 20cm-thick fast ice is observed in Kerch, in Opasny - 38 cm, in Temryuk channel - 41 cm, in the Primorsko-Akhtarsk - 42 cm, at the top of Taganrog Bay - 35-45 cm, in Genichesk - 32 cm, in Strelkovy - 25 cm, near the port of Kavkaz - drifting ice (consolidation of 10 points) of up to 30 cm in thickness.
The Rosmorport owned icebreakers were deployed and operate in the area in accordance with the instructions of the Ice Operations Headquarters (IOHQ) led by Harbour Master of the Port of Taganrog. Currently, the IOHQ is busy freeing ice-trapped vessels and escort them to open water. So far, the Azov Sea is not accessible for arriving vessel while other ships are not able to depart from the regional ports without icebreaking assistance. The icebreakers work in pairs clearing a passage for the vessel to then start organizing ship convoys to escort them both to the north-east towards the port of Taganrog, Azov, Rostov-on-Don, Eisk, and from the ports to the Kerch Strait, as well as to assist the ships at the port of Temryuk.
FSUE Rosmorport has now a fleet of four diesel-electric icebreakers in the area operated by its regional Azov and Black Sea branches. In addition, the Port of Taganrog has the icebreaking tug Kama, the same class vessel Kapitan Kharchikov operates at the port of Azov, Port of Rostov-on-Don has the icebreaking tug Phanagoria.
The icebreakers Kapitan Demidov and Kapitan Chudinov have supplied fuel and water to the cargo ships, the Mystery K, the Amur-2505 and then will join the third ship “Lana."
Meanwhile, the icebreakers Kapitan Moshkin and Kapitan Krutov are cutting a path through hummocked ice for the M/V Zenith, the M/V Krasny Aksai and the M/V Volga-Balt 226.
Due to unfavorable weather forecast for the next few days (northwestern wind gusting 18 m / s, then south-western - of 17 m / s, shearing, ridging, ice compression) escort of cargo ship from the south to the Azov Sea was recognized as unsafe and ineffective, and all icebreakers of Rosmorport were sent to escort 11 ships from the western part of the sea.
As of 8:00 (Moscow Time), Feb. 26, there are reportedly 80 ships in the Azov Sea-based Russian ports, 13 of them have ice-class hulls. In the Sea of Azov - 14 outward bound vessels and 14 – to call at the regional ports (7 - awaiting assistance, 5 ships – en route, 2 - stricken ships).
Besides, there are now 94 vessels in the Black Sea set to pass through the Kerch Strait, 43 of them are ice-classed ships. Some ships are escorted by ice-class tugs to / from the port of Kavkaz.
Ice buildup continues in the Azov Sea. As of Feb. 20, the entire Gulf of Taganrog was covered with 40-45cm-thick fast ice, to the west of the fast ice an area of a natural ice hole (polynya) is observed. And further to the west of polynya – largely gray ice and behind it - the drifting floe, mostly gray-white. The process of ice compression, rubbles pileups and pressure ridges formation continues in the Kerch Strait and to the west of the Sea of Azov with 3m-high ice hummocks. The 20cm-thick fast ice is observed in Kerch, in Opasny - 38 cm, in Temryuk channel - 41 cm, in the Primorsko-Akhtarsk - 42 cm, at the top of Taganrog Bay - 35-45 cm, in Genichesk - 32 cm, in Strelkovy - 25 cm, near the port of Kavkaz - drifting ice (consolidation of 10 points) of up to 30 cm in thickness.
The Rosmorport owned icebreakers were deployed and operate in the area in accordance with the instructions of the Ice Operations Headquarters (IOHQ) led by Harbour Master of the Port of Taganrog. Currently, the IOHQ is busy freeing ice-trapped vessels and escort them to open water. So far, the Azov Sea is not accessible for arriving vessel while other ships are not able to depart from the regional ports without icebreaking assistance. The icebreakers work in pairs clearing a passage for the vessel to then start organizing ship convoys to escort them both to the north-east towards the port of Taganrog, Azov, Rostov-on-Don, Eisk, and from the ports to the Kerch Strait, as well as to assist the ships at the port of Temryuk.
FSUE Rosmorport has now a fleet of four diesel-electric icebreakers in the area operated by its regional Azov and Black Sea branches. In addition, the Port of Taganrog has the icebreaking tug Kama, the same class vessel Kapitan Kharchikov operates at the port of Azov, Port of Rostov-on-Don has the icebreaking tug Phanagoria.