Over the last day period icebreaker escort services in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland were provided to 2 vessels, says Ice Operations Headquarters of Baltic Sea Ports Administration. Six icebreakers were involved.
Since the beginning of the 2015-2016 winter navigation season icebreakers have assisted 471 vessel.
The Karu icebreaker is under preventive maintenance from February 9, 2016 till February 12, 2016, icebreaker Mudyug – on February 10-12. The St. Petersburg, Yermak, Kapitan Nikolayev, and Kapitan Zarubin icebreakers are ready to operate round-the-clock. The Kapitan Plakhin's main engines power limit is 73%. Icebreaker Murmansk is not taken into operation.
Fast 20-30 cm-thick ice is observed in the Neva Bay. From the Entrance Buoy to the C-1 solid 10-20cm-thick ice; between BSF and buoys No 23/24 broken 25-35cm-thick ice; Buoys No 23/24 to Picket 132 – fast ice, the channel is blocked due to the ice with thickness of 25-35 cm.
On the Port of Primorsk access channels the 10-20cm-thick brash ice is observed with fast 15-25 cm-thick ice in the port's basin and in the Bjerkezund Strait. The channel is open for transit.
The 10-20cm-thick landfast ice is observed in the Ust-Luga river offshore anchorage with ice-free water in the port’s water area.
The 10-15cm-thick solid ice is reported on the approaches to the port of Vysotsk, from Hally and toward Vikhrevoi, 20-30 cm-thick fast ice on the Vysotsk-Vyborg channel. Ice movement and ice compaction is observed due to southern winds.