Bulk Carriers Stuck in Ice off Chukchi Peninsula
Two bulk carriers and two icebreakers are stuck in the ice off the Russian coast near Pevek on the Chukchi Peninsula (Chukotka Peninsula).
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The Russian Emergencies Ministry has issued a statement saying: “According to the captain of the Kapitan Dranitsyn vessel, the situation is not critical. There is no tension among the crew. There are food and fuel reserves. After getting more information about ice conditions the convoy will proceed on the route.”
The bulk carriers, Johann Mahmastal and Sinegorsk, are operated by Rosmorport and being escorted by the icebreakers Kapitan Dranitsyn and Admiral Makarov. The convoy remains at anchorage near Cape Shelagsky.
News agency TASS reports that the ice conditions are difficult – measuring 10 points on a 10-point scale. The thickness of ice in the area exceeds one meter (three feet) with ridged ice 2.5 meters (eight feet) thick.
The vessels arrived in Pevek from Arkhangelsk along the Northern Sea Route in early January. They made a successful midwinter cargo crossing, the the first such crossing since Soviet times. They are delivering construction material for a pier being built for the Akademik Lomonosov floating nuclear power station. The power station will be transported to Chukotka via the Northern Sea Route and assembled there in 2018.