Meanwhile, the icebreakers Kapitan Chudinov, the Kapitan Moshkin and the Kapitan Krutov resumed escort 36 vessels, which were previously stopped by heavy ice conditions.
As of 05:00 pm, March 20, 2012, there were 50 merchant ships in the Sea of Azov, 49 of them were en route and one stricken ship. There were 96 ships ready to depart from the ports of the Azov Sea, 19 of them have ice-class. 53 ships are expecting icebreaker assistance to pass the Kerch Strait from the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov.