Icebreakers escorted 187 ships entering the ports of Rostov-on-Don, Azov and Taganrog and 335 ships departing the harbors
For two weeks of the ice navigation 187 ships were escorted by icebreakers on the access channels to the ports of Rostov-on-Don, Azov and Taganrog. For the same period icebreakers paved the way for 335 cargo ships departing from the ports, the Taganrog port captain said.
Alexander Danilenko, Interim Chairman of Basin Commission and Acting Harbour Master of Taganrog in his report at a public meeting of Basin Commission on icebreaking support at Russian ports of the Azov Sea and on access channels told the commission that a convoy of 177 ships as of today was escorted from the port of Rostov-on -Don to enter the Azov Sea. An icebreaker escorted a convoy of 134 merchant ships from the port of Azov and 24 were assisted to leave the port of Taganrog. 93 vessels were escorted to the port of Rostov-on-Don, 65 ships - to the port of Azov and 29 units – to the port of Taganrog.
The M/V "Kapitan Chudinov" as of morning, Dec. 11 has finished paving the way for 8 vessels to clear water. About 50 ships are expecting their turn to enter the Don River and the port of Taganrog.
"Provision of icebreaking services started this year earlier than usual, due to the cold snap in November. Nevertheless, all restrictions on ice navigation were introduced in time, in accordance with the requirements of the mandatory regulations, i.e. less than 7 days ahead", the regional IAA PortNews correspondent quoted Alexander Danilenko as saying. He added that all shipowners were warned in advance and could meet the requirements of compulsory regulations at the port of Rostov-on-Don, Azov and Taganrog and other orders of the Harbour Master.
At the moment the weather conditions in the region are improving: the ice is still observed in the Taganrog Bay, ice formation has stopped, broken ice floes are drifting away to the open sea.
