29 vessels were escorted by icebreakers in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland during 24 hours on March 11-12, says Ice Operations Headquarters of the Baltic Sea Ports Administration.
From the beginning of winter navigation season, icebreakers escorted 1,556 vessels including 956 vessels in Big Port St. Petersburg, 126 vessels in Primorsk, 129 vessels in Ust-Luga, 254 vessels in Vyborg and Vysotsk, 92 vessels in the Gulf of Finland.
According to Ice Operations Headquarters, 9 icebreakers are involved.
30-40 cm thick fast ice is observed in the Neva Bay. 15-30 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 11 – open pack ice. Further westwards from buoy No 11 - 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 buoy No 4, and further on - ice free water.
In the water area of Primorsk port and to the Grekov bank - highly consolidated ice of 20-35 cm thick. 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 15-25cm 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 – ice free water.