The Atomflot’s icebreaker Russia will be deployed in the Gulf of Finland to assist merchant shipping in winter navigation, the Big Port St. Petersburg harbor master Peter Parinov told a meeting held today at the port.
Parinov said a time-charter agreement for the icebreaker had been signed and the ship is expected to arrive in the Gulf of Finland on 20-22 January 2013.
The ports of St. Petersburg, Ust-Luga and Primorsk have been open to nuclear-powered icebreakers.
Parinov’s deputy Oleg Glukhov, who attended the meeting, noted the icebreaker Russia had demonstrated its effectiveness during the past navigation season, when escorting Aframax size tankers.
The United Situational Center of the Gulf port authorities will start to work on November 26, 2012. The headquarters meetings will be held twice a day to coordinate icebreaking operations.
Besides, Rosmorport will provide a team of ice advisers.
The diesel-electric icebreakers in the Russian part of the Gulf of Finland are provided by Rosmorport. The time-charter agreement for the nuclear-powered icebreaker was signed between Rosmorport and Atomflot (the nuclear-powered icebreakers owner)
