Twelve Russian icebreakers escorted 46 merchant ships in the Gulf of Finland
In St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region eleven diesel-powered icebreakers owned by Rosmorport and one nuclear-powered ‘Russia’ (chartered from Atomflot) have escorted altogether for the last 24-hour period 46 merchant ships to / from the Russian ports based in the Gulf of Finland, Rosmorport told PortNews.
Since the winter navigation launch, the icebreakers have escorted 2,115 merchant ships in the area.
The icebreaking fleet operating now in the Gulf comprises the Semyon Dezhnev, the Captain Plakhin, the Yuri Lisyansky, the Mudyug, the Moscow, the Ermak, the Captain Sorokin, the Karu, the Thor, the St. Petersburg, the Captain Nikolaev and the Russia.
Previously, the Big Port St. Petersburg Harbourmaster introduced on December 4, 2012 some restrictions on ice-class of vessels sailing to / from the port. Besides, as of December 24, the Port Authority banned from entering the harbour articulated tug / barge units (ATBs). The ships without reinforced hulls are permitted only under icebreaker escort. The Ice class vessels are permitted to sail independently using the regional icebreaking operations center’s guides or may request the icebreaker assistance.
The harbourmaster issued another regulation, effective February 4, 2013, on mandatory escorts of vessels with Ice I hulls by icebreakers. The Ice 2 (and above) ships are allowed to sail independently guided by recommendations or led by an icebreaker.
