August M
An unusually severe winter has left much of the Gulf of Finland covered in thick ice, disrupting maritime traffic and forcing Russia to take emergency measures.
According to Finland’s STT news agency, the situation is the most serious in more than a decade, reports Money.pl.
Ice slows exports
The dense ice cover is complicating cargo movements from Russian ports near St. Petersburg and Vyborg, including shipments of crude oil and other goods.
Vessels without reinforced hulls are encountering the greatest difficulties. Russian icebreakers are currently escorting ships that lack the necessary ice class certification.
STT reports that Moscow has dispatched additional icebreakers to the eastern Gulf of Finland to help keep shipping lanes open.
Russian media said earlier this month that a foreign vessel struck a quay at the Ust-Luga oil terminal during a turning maneuver in icy conditions, damaging a crane.
Spill concerns
Finnish authorities have raised concerns about the risks posed by older tankers operating in the area.
According to Finnish services, some ships in Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” are outdated and not fully equipped for heavy ice navigation, increasing the danger of accidents and potential oil spills.
If the oil leaks into the sea, the environment could remain polluted for many years, as collecting oil from ice is more difficult than from water, warned Ilja Iljin, deputy commander of the Finnish Coast Guard for the Gulf of Finland.
Baltic lifeline
Data from the Finnish Border Guard indicate that between 30 and 50 vessels identified as “shadow tankers” pass through the Gulf each week, transporting Russian fuel subject to international sanctions.
Russia’s main oil export hubs in the region include ports near St. Petersburg, as well as Primorsk and Ust-Luga. Roughly half of the country’s oil exports are estimated to transit through the Baltic Sea.
The Finnish Meteorological Institute said the prolonged cold spell since early January has resulted in near-total ice coverage in the eastern Gulf, a situation not seen since the winter of 2010-2011.
In coastal areas, ice thickness is reported to be roughly double that of recent years, reaching about 30 centimeters near Helsinki and exceeding 40 centimeters in parts of Turku and Loviisa.
Sources: Money.pl, STT, Finnish Border Guard
