Rosmorport’s seven icebreakers escort ships to / from Big Port St. Petersburg
Seven icebreakers deployed in the Gulf of Finland by Federal enterprise Rosmorport assist shipping in the water area of Big Port St. Petersburg, a spokeswoman for Rosmorport told PortNews. The Kapitan M. Izmailov, the Kapitan Dezhnev, the Kapitan Zarubin, the Kapitan Plakhin, the Ivan Krusenstern and the Mudyug continue icebreaking duties, ramming a path for merchant ships sailing to / from the port.
Overall, since the beginning of ice navigation season in the Russian ports of the Gulf of Finland icebreakers of Rosmorport have conducted more than 147 vessels escorts, including last night - 17.
Previously, in connection with the formation in the waters of Big Port St. Petersburg of the early stages of ice, needle ice in the Neva River, cold temperatures, the Port Authority introduced restrictions on ice-class of vessels sailing to / from the port, effective as of the midnight of December 24, 2012.
From the date, according to the order, the ATBs will be banned from entering the harbor and ships without ice class hulls should be escorted by icebreakers. The vessels having any ice-class are permitted to sail independently using the regional icebreaking operations center’s notice or may request the icebreaker assistance.
Earlier, Rosmorport said it would deploy its own 14 diesel-powered icebreakers and one nuclear-powered vessel of Atomflot in the Russian part of the Gulf of Finland to ensure safe and smooth shipping in the 2012-2013 winter navigation season.