Icebreaker escort services in the Gulf of Finland covered 10 vessels over the day-long period
Icebreaker escort services in the Gulf of Finland covered 10 vessels over the last day period. According to the Headquarters of Icebreaking Operations of the Baltic Sea Ports Administration, 52 vessels have been provided with icebreaker escort services from the year beginning.
As of January 13 (10:00 Moscow Time), ice situation is as follows: Neva Bay and the top of the Vyborg Bay - 15-20 cm thick ice; Primorsk - 10-20 cm; Ust-Luga – 5-10 cm of border ice at the river anchorage area and no ice at the sea port or at the berths; approaches to Vysotsk - 10-15 cm, Vysotsk-Vyborg canal - 10-15 cm, Saimaa channel – 10-15 cm, Björkösund strait – 10-15 cm shore ice.
The following icebreakers are involve in the operations – Semen Dezhnev (seaway canal of Big Port St. Petersburg), Yury Lisyansky (seaway canal of Big Port St. Petersburg), Kapitan Izmailov (approaches to Vyborg and Vysotsk ports and Saimaa channel), Ivan Kruzenshtern (port Primorsk and approaches), Mugyug (seaway canal of Big Port St. Petersburg), Karu (approaches from Nerva island to Vyborg and Vysotsk).
Kapitan Sorokin and Ermak icebreakers are in reserve.
Ice navigation restrictions are introduced at the water areas and at the approaches to Big Port St. Petersburg and Passenger Port of Saint-Petersburg: integrated tug / barge units are not allowed to sail in the ice waters; vessels without ice class are allowed to sail only with icebreaker support; vessels with Ice-1 and higher ice class can sail independently upon obtaining of special permits and icebreaker’s recommendations or with icebreaker support.
