17 icebreaker escort operations performed in eastern part of Gulf of Finland during 24 hours on March 20-21
17vessels were escorted by icebreakers in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland during 24 hours on March 20-21, says Ice Operations Headquarters of the Baltic Sea Ports Administration.
Since the beginning of this winter navigation season icebreakers performed 1668 operations including 818 operations at Big Port St. Petersburg, 281 operations at the port of Vyborg and Vysotsk, 146 operations at the port of Primorsk and 423 operations at the port of Ust-Luga.
11 icebreakers are in operation.
According to Ice Operations Headquarters, the convoy meeting point is at buoy No 4 of the Big Ship Channel (60 degrees 11.5 minutes north latitude; 27 degrees 46.1 minutes east longitude).
Between the entrance buoy and buoys No 27, No 28: consolidated floating ice of 10-20 cm thick. Between buoys No 27, No 28 and picket No 132: highly consolidated ice of up to 30 cm thick. Between picket No 132 and the Golden Gate: highly consolidated ice of 20-35 cm. In the water area of Big Port St. Petersburg: brash ice of 15-30 cm thick and concentration of 9/10ths to 10/10ths.
Between the port of Vyborg and the port of Vysotsk: shore ice of 25-35 cm thick. Between the port of Vysotsk and the Rondo island: 25-30 cm thick shore ice. From the Rondao island to Buoy No. 4 of Big Ship Channel: mostly ice-free water with floating ice and ice floes of up to 20-35 cm thick.
At port Primorsk: shore ice of up to 35-40 cm thick. Between buoys No 3-4 and buoy No 6 of the Big Ship Channel: consolidated ice of up to 25 cm, with ice ridges.
Between the convoy meeting point and buoy No 6 of the Big Ship Channel: ice free water with ice floes of 15-25 cm thick. Between buoy No 6 and the entrance buoy: highly consolidated ice of 15-35 cm thick; ice compression and hummocking is observed.
At the port of Ust-Luga: consolidated ice of 15-30 cm thick. In the mouth of the river: 35 cm thick land ice.
