Pilots of the FSUE “Rosmorport” Crimea Basin Branch took part in a maritime operation for transporting an automobile arch of the Crimean Bridge.

On October 11, 2017 the bridge's automobile arch on the floating piers was moved to the fairway of the Kerch Yenikal Canal with use of tugs. Then the floating system has been brought to the range between the fairway piers. The maximum total backlash was of up to 65 cm.

The transportation of the bridge automobile arch involved FSUE “Rosmorport” experienced specialists, Anatoly Kochnev, deputy director for navigation safety of the Crimean Basin Branch; pilot I category Ivan Goryachev, chief of the Kerch Seaport pilot's service (the Crimea Basin Branch); pilot II category Sergei Voronov, the shift chief; pilot I category Yuri Yerokhin, the chief shift; pilot I category Vladimir Gavrilov, pilot I category Rostislav Davidenko, all of whom had taken part in transportation of the span railway arch in August. It took about eight hours to carry out the maritime operation as of commencement of moving the arch to the piers under the pilots' escort.

The fleet of the lead tug, push tugs, as well as auxiliary and maneuvering vessels, workboats for communications and coordination provided the movement of floating piers. The operation involved more than one hundred specialists – sailors, engineers, employees of research institutes and regular bridge builders.

As a whole the maritime operation for installing the arch in the final position was carried out with minimum navigation restriction. FSUE “Rosmorport” vessel tracking management systems ensured safe navigation in the Kerch Strait at the moment of carrying out the unique operation in the area of bridge construction.

Just upon completing the construction works on the fairway 18 hours earlier than necessary the strengthened shift of pilots of the Crimea Basin Branch and the FSUE “Rosmorport” Azovo-Chernomorsky Branch Taman Directorate that involves 27 people has started pilotage of vessel on the canal. Convoys are formed according to th speeds of vessels and their size.