Rosmorport’s icebreaker escorts 8 ships to Astrakhan port
Two icebreakers owned by Rosmorport’s Astrakhan branch, the Kapitan Bukayev and the Kapitan Chechkin were leading a convoy of cargo ships (as of 09:00 am, Dec. 28) on the 100th-km stretch of the Volga Caspian Shipping Canal to ice edge of the port of Astrakhan, the Authority of Caspian basin sea ports said.
The Kapitan Metsayk started escorting an 8-ship convoy to Anchorage No 5 of Astrakhan port.
The 100km VCSC weather forecast: southeast wind 7-10 m/s, + 3Cº, visibility 3 nm, ice jams, ice thickness 6-15cm. At the port of Astrakhan: southern wind of 5 m/s, solid ice across the width of the channel, visibility - more than 2 miles, +5Cº.
Ice class restrictions, which require mandatory icebreaker assistance, entered into force as of midnight (UCT), December 16, 2012 following unfavorable weather forecast. From midnight of December 21, 2012 ATBs are not allowed to sail in the water area of port of Astrakhan as well as the ships without ice class.