As of December 12-13, a pair of icebreakers, the Semyon Dezhnev and the Kapitan M. Izmailov, escorted in the ice-covered basin seven ship convoys in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland, the Baltic Sea Ports Authority’s HQ for icebreaking assistance said.
Since the beginning of this winter shipping season within Big Port St. Petersburg basin, the icebreakers have escorted 12 merchant vessels.
There are three more idle icebreakers ready to join icebreaking operations, namely the St. Petersburg, the Ermak, the Kapitan Nikolayev, the authority said.
Previously, Big Port St. Petersburg has announced the following restrictions on the hull ice class of ships entering the harbour:
Ice navigation of small size ships is not allowed as of 1 December 2018; navigation of ATB units will not be allowed as from December 17. The beginning of icebreaker assistance period announced on December 10.
Ice navigation restrictions at the Port of Vyborg: navigation of small size ships is not allowed as from 1 December 2018; navigation of ATB units will not be allowed as from December 19.
The Port of Ust-Luga: navigation of small size ships is not allowed as from 1 December 2018;
The Port of Primorsk: navigation of small size ships is not allowed as from 7 December 2018.