46 vessels were escorted by icebreakers in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland during 24 hours on March 6-7, says Ice Operations Headquarters of the Baltic Sea Ports Administration.
From the beginning of winter navigation season, icebreakers escorted 1,402 vessels including 866 vessels in Big Port St. Petersburg, 113 vessels in Primorsk, 107 vessels in Ust-Luga, 247 vessels in Vyborg and Vysotsk, 69 vessels in the Gulf of Finland.
According to Ice Operations Headquarters, 7 icebreakers are involved.
30-40 cm thick fast ice is observed in the Neva Bay. 20 cm thick brash ice is observed on the Seaway Canal of Saint-Petersburg. 15-25 cm thick brash ice with concentration of 8-9/10th is observed at Big Kronshtadt Anchorage. 20-35 cm thick solid ice is observed between the Dock-Gate Building C-1 and entrance buoy. Between the entrance buoy and buoy No 12 – 10-20 cm thick solid ice. Between buoy No 12 and buoy No 10 – solid ice of 10-20 cm thick. Further westwards from buoy No 8 - ice free water with separate ice floes.
Between the port of Vyborg and the turning buoy of Vysotsk port: fast ice of 30-35 cm thick. The canal is free with 15-25 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 25 cm. Between Vysotsk entrance buoy and the Rondo island – compact ice with thickness of up to 20 cm. Between the Rondo island and the Hally island – open pack ice. Between the Hally island and buoy No 4, and further on - ice free water.
In the water area of Primorsk port and to the Grekov bank - new ice. Between the Grekov bank and the Agamemnon bank – highly consolidated ice of 25-40 cm thick. Between the Agamemnon bank and the buoy No 7 of Big Ship Fairway – ice free water. Further on, along the of Big Ship Fairway – ice free water.
Between the port of Ust-Luga and Buoy No 2a of the approach fairway №20а - solid ice of 20-30 cm thick. From the approach fairway №20 - solid ice of 20-25 cm thick. At the approach fairway №19 – solid ice. Further on, to the Anchorage No 10 (а) and to the Big Ship Fairway – solid ice of 15-25 cm.