Two Rosmorport’s icebreakers, the Kapitan Moshkin and the Kapitan Krutov, have escorted a convoy of 11 merchant ships to open water in the southern part of the Sea of Azov, the Azov Ice Ops HQ said. Five more cargo ships are now being escorted in the area.
There were 26 cargo ships as of March 7th, in the waters of the Sea of Azov: 24 ships are en route and 2 vessels are damaged. At least 74 ships are in the Black Sea to pass through the Kerch Strait (23 – with ice-class hulls). Besides, 93 ships (18 – with ice-class hulls) in the Sea of Azov are awaiting icebreakers to depart from the regional ports.
The Rosmorport owned icebreakers were deployed to operate in the area in accordance with the instructions of the Azov Ice Operations Headquarters (IOHQ) led by Harbour Master of the Port of Taganrog. So far, the Azov Sea is not accessible for arriving vessel while other ships are not able to depart from the regional ports without icebreaker assistance. The icebreakers work in pairs cutting an open water passage for merchant ships and organize ships convoys to escort them both to the north-east towards the port of Taganrog, Azov, Rostov-on-Don, Yeysk, from these ports to the Kerch Strait, as well as to assist the ships at the port of Temryuk.
The Rosmorport owned icebreakers were deployed to operate in the area in accordance with the instructions of the Azov Ice Operations Headquarters (IOHQ) led by Harbour Master of the Port of Taganrog. So far, the Azov Sea is not accessible for arriving vessel while other ships are not able to depart from the regional ports without icebreaker assistance. The icebreakers work in pairs cutting an open water passage for merchant ships and organize ships convoys to escort them both to the north-east towards the port of Taganrog, Azov, Rostov-on-Don, Yeysk, from these ports to the Kerch Strait, as well as to assist the ships at the port of Temryuk.