From 30 April 2021, navigation is opened along the main route of the Volga-Baltic Basin of Russia’s inland water ways, between Saint-Petersburg and Cherepovets, says press center of the Federal Marine and River Transport Agency (Rosmorrechflot).
The main route with guaranteed depth and lighted aids to navigation is 805 kilometers long. It runs within Saint-Petersburg, the Leningrad Region and the Vologda Region and includes the Neva river, the southern lane of the Ladoga lake, the Svir river, the Vodorazdelny canal and the Sheksna river.
The main route numbers 1,045 floating and 1,587 coastal aids to navigation.
Ice situation on the route varies in different sections with more floating aids to navigation to be placed as more sections get ice free.
The guaranteed depth along the route is 4.0 meters which is sufficient for ships with a draft of up to 3.75 meters.
The length of waterways in the Volga-Baltic basin with aids to navigation will be 3,559.6 kilometers this navigation season including 3,012.6 kilometers of waterways with guaranteed dimensions.
Onega canal and waterways in the Novgorod district are open from May 1. Ladoga canals and northern lanes of the Ladoga lake will be open from May 5.
The Neva river within the limits of Saint-Petersburg is already busy with tour and leisure ships.
Volga-Baltic Administration expects passenger transportation to grow this season.