25 icebreaker escort operations performed in eastern part of Gulf of Finland during 24 hours on March 26-27
25 vessels were escorted by icebreakers in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland during 24 hours on March 26-27, says Ice Operations Headquarters of the Baltic Sea Ports Administration.
Since the beginning of this winter navigation season icebreakers performed 1851 operations including 940 operations at Big Port St. Petersburg, 305 operations at the port of Vyborg and Vysotsk, 155 operations at the port of Primorsk and 451 operations at the port of Ust-Luga.
10 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 3-4 of St. Petersburg Seaway Channel: highly consolidated ice of 20-30 cm thick; ice compression is observed. Between buoys No 3-4 and the Dock-Gate Building C-1: consolidated ice of 20-30 cm thick. Between Dock-Gate Building C-1 and buoys No 27-28 of St. Petersburg Seaway Channel: consolidated ice of 15-25 cm thick. Between buoys No 27, No 28 and picket No 132: consolidated ice of 20-30 cm thick. Between picket No 132 and the Golden Gate: highly consolidated ice of 30-50 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. Between the Rondo and Hally islands and further 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 the Agamemnon bank: highly consolidated ice of 25-35 cm, with ice compression and ice ridges. Further westwards: the water is ice-free.
At the port of Ust-Luga: floating ice of 15-35 cm thick and concentration of 5/10ths to 9/10ths. In the mouth of the river: 40 cm thick land ice.
Between buoy No 1 and buoy No 8 of the Big Ship Channel: mostly ice-free water with ice floes of 15-25 cm thick. Between buoy No 8 and the entrance buoy: highly consolidated ice of 25-35 cm thick; ice compression and hummocking is observed.
