Following the Captain of the seaport of Azov order No. 17 dated March 9, 2023, the Captain of the seaport of Rostov-on-Don order No. DB-10r dated March 9, 2023 and the Captain of the seaport of Taganrog order No. 9 dated March 9, 2023, the icebreaker assistance season in the seaports of Azov, Rostov-on-Don and Taganrog respectively was declared closed from March 10, 2023.

Considering the end of the icebreaker assistance period in the seaports of the Sea of Azov, Director of the Azov Basin Branch Andrey Vakhrushev held an offsite meeting with the crew members of the branch's icebreakers onboard the Kapitan Demidov icebreaker on March 14, 2023 to summarize the work done.

During the meeting, the organization of icebreaker assistance for vessels and upcoming inter-navigation repair works were discussed, and the main goals and tasks for the icebreakers to timely meet the beginning of winter navigation period 2023–2024 were shaped.

During the icebreaker assistance period, which lasted 94 days, four icebreakers of the Azov Basin Branch performed 133 icebreaker assistance services and piloted more than 3.2 thousand vessels to the corresponding seaports. The maximum length of icebreaker assistance during winter navigation period 2022–2023 was 102 nautical miles.

In addition, the Azov Basin Branch provided individual icebreaker assistance for 7 vessels along inland waterways with a total length of 648 nautical miles (Rostov-on-Don—Volgograd—Rostov-on-Don) and a total duration of 14 days.

Andrey Vakhrushev thanked the participants of the meeting for their well-coordinated and professional work during icebreaker assistance in freezing seaports of the Sea of Azov.