Icebreakers escorted 2,519 vessels to/from Azov Sea ports in ice navigation season of 2016-2017

During the ice navigation season of 2016-2017, icebreakers escorted 354 convoys of 2,519 vessels to/from the Azov sea ports, IAA PortNews correspondent cites Aleksandr Danilenko, head of the Taganrog branch of the Azov Sea Ports Administration as saying at the extended meeting dedicated to the results of icebreaker assistance at Russian seaports of the Azov Sea held on 27 March 2017.

According to him, 1,275 vessels were escorted to the Russian ports of the Azov Sea (183 convoys) and 1,244 vessels were escorted from the ports (171 convoys). Total throughput of Azov Sea ports during the ice navigation season amounted to 6.069 mln t. 

“The season of icebreaker assistance at the Sea of Azov began and was over within the statistically average period,” said Aleksandr Danilenko . At the port of Taganrog it began on 29 November 2016, at Rostov-on-Don and Azov – on 30 November, at Yeisk – on 7 December. In the southern part of the Azov Sea icebreaker assistance period lasted from January 31 till February 20 at Temryuk, from 11 February till 20 February - at port Kavkaz and from February 11 till February 18 - at port Kerch.
Aleksandr Danilenko says hydrometeorological and ice conditions were moderate last winter. Ice thickness at the Bay of Taganrog was up to 25-30 cm, in the open part of the sea – up to 10-15 cm. 

According to the speaker there were no incidents related to the icebreaker assistance during the mentioned period.