Before the start of spring ice flow the FSUE “Rosmorport” Arkhangelsk Branch icebreakers traditionally conduct ice removal in the estuary and upper reaches of the Northern Dvina river (up to Vainovo village of the Arkhangelsk region) under the order of Dvina-Pechora Basin Water Directorate of the Federal Agency for Water Resources (RosVodResursy).

This year Kapitan Chadaev and Kapitan Evdokimov Branch icebreakers were involved in the ice removal operations.

This operations will lead to accelerating the melting of ice in the Northern Dvina river estuary, which will reduce the threat of ice jams and, as a consequence, the possibility of flooding of adjacent areas.

The Branch icebreakers are planned to break ice to the maximum width on all the fairways, as well as upstream.

As of April 18, 2016 Arkhangelsk branch icebreakers have cleared 230 km. In particular, Kapitan Evdokimov icebreaker has cleared 80 km on the Korabelny arm and 2 km on the Maimaks arm.  Kapitan Chadaev icebreaker in turn has cleared 124 km on the Murmansk arm, 20 km on the Kuznechikha arm and 4 km on the Maimaks arm.

In the near future the icebreakers will start ice removal in Nikolsky arm of the Northern Dvina river estuary and at the section of Arkhangelsk-Kholmogory river.

For reference:

Technical characteristics of the icebreakers:

Kapitan Evdokimov icebreaker:

Kapitan Chadayev icebreaker: