22 vessels escorted by icebreakers in eastern part of Gulf of Finland during 24 hours on February 3-4
22 vessels were escorted by icebreakers in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland during 24 hours on February 3-4, says Ice Operations Headquarters of the Baltic Sea Ports Administration.
From the beginning of winter navigation season, icebreakers escorted 633 vessels including 403 vessels in Big Port St. Petersburg, 41 vessels in Primorsk, 30 vessels in Ust-Luga and 136 vessels in Vyborg and Vysotsk.
According to Ice Operations Headquarters, 8 icebreakers are in operation with one more ship ready for operation and 4 icebreakers in reserve.
25-35 cm thick fast ice is observed in the Neva Bay. 20-30 cm thick brash ice with high concentration is observed along the Seaway Canal of Saint-Petersburg. 15-30 cm thick brash ice is observed at Big Kronshtadt Anchorage. 20-35 cm thick floating ice is observed between the Dock-Gate Building and buoys No 3-4 with new ice observed from the entrance buoy. Between buoys No 3-4 and buoy No 10 – 5-10 cm thick ice. Further westwards, from the buoy No 2, highly consolidated ice is observed with thickness of 20-35 cm. Ice compression is observed.
Between the port of Vyborg and the turning buoy of Vysotsk port: fast ice of 20-35 cm thick. The canal is free with 20-30 cm thick brash ice. Between the turning buoy of Vysotsk port and Vysotsk Gate (including water area of Vysotsk port) – solid ice with thickness of up to 30 cm. Between Vysotsk buoy and buoy No 4 - highly consolidated hummocky ice with thickness of 25-40 cm. Ice ridges of up to 50 cm thick. Ice compression is observed. Between buoy No 4 and buoy No 3 – new ice of 5-10 cm thick, from buoy No 3 – ice-free water.
From the port of Primorsk to buoys No 3-4 – dense ice of 20-30 cm thick, no movement on the canal. Further on, up to the Big Ship Fairway – 25-35 cm thick ice with concentration of 9-10/10ths with slight opening in some areas.
