OREANDA-NEWS. December 24, 2012. There are currently three icebreakers assisting shipping in the waters under the jurisdiction of the Authority of Big Port St. Petersburg, th Icebreaking Operations HQ said.

According to the center, the icebreaker "Kapitan M. Izmaylov" is now deployed on the access channels to the port of Vyborg and the Saimaa Canal. The Dezhnev and the Kapitan Plakhin have been operating on the St. Petersburg sea channel.

There are three icebreakers in standby mode, 8 vessels - in the operating reserve - 8 icebreakers.

The Icebreaking Operations center reports the 5-20cm-thick ice in the waters of the Neva Bay. Further, to the entrance buoy of Big Port St. Pb. – dark nilas, first stages of ice, then - open water. In Vyborg Bay - fast ice of thickness of 10-15 cm. There is no ice in the Luga Bay. In the port of Primorsk – dark nilas, early stages of ice formation.