Rosmorport’s icebreakers escort 19 ships to Astrakhan and Olya ports
Three icebreakers of Rosmorport’s Astrakhan branch, the Kapitan Bukayev, the Kapitan Chechkin and the Kapitan Metsayk were escorting 19 cargo ships (as of 09:00 am, Dec. 25) on the 42th-56th km stretch of the Volga Caspian Shipping Canal, from the ice edge to the port of Astrakhan, the Authority of Caspian basin sea ports said.
The Astrakhan port harbourmaster announced the winter navigational season on December 1, 2012.
The Kapitan Metsayk was commissioned into service on December 8, 2012. On December 8th, the icebreaker Kapitan Metsayk was sent out to the sea part of the VCSC to escort cargo vessels. Ice class restrictions, which require mandatory icebreaker assistance, entered into force as of midnight (Moscow Time), December 16, 2012 following unfavorable weather forecast.