Nuclear icebreaker Rossija will work in Gulf of Finland as long as ice situation requires
On March 28, nuclear icebreaker Rossija escorted the 300th large capacity tanker in the Baltic Sea over its 65-day period of uninterrupted work, FSUE Atomflot informs.
We remind, that nuclear icebreaker Rossija operates in the Gulf of Finland under agreement with FSUE Rosmorport from January 16. The Rossija provides icebreaking assistance to large capacity tankers. The agreement was signed for 90 days (roughly by April 16), but it will depend on the actual ice situation.
The severe ice situation in the Gulf of Finland is stable due to frosts throughout March. Oleg Shchapin, the icebreaker captain says the fast ice is 70-100 centimeters thick.
For the first time the Vaygach icebreaker was deployed for operation in the Baltic Sea in winter 2011. It escorted 258 vessels over 51 days of uninterrupted work. In 2012, 322 tankers were assisted in the Baltic Sea by two nuclear icebreakers - 50 Let Pobedy and Rossija.
Other Atomflot icebreakers are also busy with operations typical for winter-spring navigation. The Yamal works in the White Sea providing assistance to Novatek tankers towards Vitino port. Nuclear icebreaker Vaygach continues operation under agreement with Norilsk Nickel along the Yenisey river. The Taymir, having left its home port of Murmansk on March 19 successfully escorted m/v Yuriy Arshenevsky of Murmansk Shipping Company to Sabetta port and delivered food to Dickson. The next task is to escort m/v Captain Veshnyakov to Sabetta port.
I/b 50 Let Pobedy is now Murmansk undergoing scheduled repairs in dock. In late June the icebreaker will sett off for her first tourist voyage to the North Pole.