The start of the icebreaking period is announced in the Big port of St. Petersburg as of December 6 by order of Harbour Master. In the port of Ust-Luga, the icebreaking period started on December 7, and in Vyborg and Vyssotsk on December 8.
According to Rosmorport, the icebreakers “Semen Dezhnev” and “Kapitan Izmailov” have already started assisting vessels in the Gulf of Finland. This year, the icebreaking season in St. Petersburg, Vyborg and Vyssotsk started 10 days earlier than last year, and in Ust-Luga almost two months earlier.
During the icebreaking period in the winter navigation season 2021-2022, twelve icebreakers including the world’ largest disesl electric icebreaker “Viktor Chernomyrdin” will be deployed in the Russian Baltic ports.
The first weather-induced restrictions as to the navigation in the Russian ports in the Gulf of Finland were introduced almost a month ago. Now, small craft, pleasure and sailing boats are not allowed to sail in St. Petersburg, Vyborg, Vyssotsk, Primorsk and Ust-Luga.
Vessels with no ice class are expected to be forbidden to navigate in Ust-Luga since December 21, and in Vyssotsk since December 27 in case solid ice in the ports will get thicker than 10-15 cm.
Photo: Rosmorport