24 vessels were escorted by icebreakers in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland during 24 hours on January 27-28, says Ice Operations Headquarters of the Baltic Sea Ports Administration.
From the beginning of winter navigation season, icebreakers escorted 415 vessels including 316 vessels in Big Port St. Petersburg, 8 vessels in Primorsk, 3 vessels in Ust-Luga and 88 vessels in Vyborg and Vysotsk.
According to Ice Operations Headquarters, 8 icebreakers are in operation with one more ship ready for operation and 5 icebreakers in reserve.
25-35 cm thick fast ice is observed in the Neva Bay. 20-30 cm thick brash ice with high concentration is observed along the Seaway Canal of Saint-Petersburg. 15-30 cm thick brash ice is observed at Big Kronshtadt Anchorage. 20-35 cm thick floating ice is observed between the Dock-Gate Building and buoy No 10 with new ice observed from the entrance buoy. 15-25 cm thick ice is observed up to the buoy No 5 with 10-15 cm thick ice seen further westwards up to the Hogland iceland. In the port waters – consolidated ice with thickness of up to 15-30 cm.
Between the port of Vyborg and the turning buoy of Vysotsk port: fast ice of 20-35 cm thick. The canal is free with 20-30 cm thick brash ice. Between the turning buoy of Vysotsk port and Vysotsk Gate (including water area of Vysotsk port) – solid ice with thickness of up to 30 cm. Between Vysotsk buoy and buoy No 4 - solid ice with thickness of 10-30 cm.