Estonian Icebreakers Free 50+ Ships as Baltic Sea Freezes Over | Winter 2024

Estonian Icebreakers Assist Over 50 Ships Amidst Baltic Sea Freeze

This winter has proven challenging for maritime traffic in the Baltic Sea, requiring significant intervention from Estonian icebreakers. Since the beginning of the year, more than 50 vessels have received assistance from Estonian icebreakers navigating ice-bound waters off the Estonian coast.

Two state-owned icebreakers, the Botnica and Eva, are currently deployed in the Gulf of Riga, around the Estonian islands, and along the coastline near Pärnu. The icebreaker Tarmo is focused on clearing waterways east of Tallinn, in the Gulf of Finland. According to reports, Tarmo is scheduled to continue operations late on February 10th, while icebreakers have been actively working around the port of Pärnu and in the Gulf of Riga since January.

The extensive ice cover in the Gulf of Riga has forced all cargo ships destined for Riga to navigate through Estonian territorial waters via Roņu Island on February 9th. Latvia also operates an icebreaker, the Varma, which, like Estonia’s Tarmo, is a vessel of considerable age.

Andres Laasma, the director general of the Estonian Navy, stated that, under current plans, the 60-year-old Tarmo could remain in service until 2028. He emphasized the need to develop a plan for the period following that date.

Of the more than 50 ships aided by the icebreakers, the majority – 45 – required assistance near Pärnu. Several other vessels needed help in the Gulf of Finland. The situation in Finnish territorial waters is reportedly even more complex, necessitating the deployment of Finnish icebreakers there.

Laasma noted that while such harsh winter conditions are not unprecedented, they typically occur approximately once every seven years. He recalled that the last comparable winter was in 2011, when all available icebreakers were in operation.

Even a shift towards warmer weather does not guarantee a respite for the icebreakers. Depending on wind direction and speed, their assistance may be required even more frequently. Aare Piel, the transport authority’s icebreaking coordinator, highlighted that the most challenging conditions often arise in the spring, recalling that in March 2011, as many as 120 ships were simultaneously stranded in the ice.

Icebreaking operations incur a cost of eight million euros annually, regardless of weather conditions. This figure encompasses the maintenance of the icebreakers and ensuring their readiness for deployment.

The average depth of the Gulf of Finland is 35 meters, while the Gulf of Riga averages 26 meters. In areas between Estonia’s largest islands, the water depth can be as shallow as five meters, contributing to the difficulties faced by ferry traffic. This winter, a low-pressure system has caused water levels to drop across the entire Baltic Sea, exacerbating the challenges for shipping due to the combined effect of ice cover and reduced water depth.