The Baltic Sea states wish to enhance safety and the efficiency of vessel traffic also by means of instruction. The video guide “Ice Navigation and Baltic Ice Conditions”, which has only just been released, is intended especially for those seafarers who lack experience in ice navigation.

Traffic in the Baltic is constantly increasing. Although ships’ capability of navigating in ice has improved, know how on board has deteriorated owing to lack of experience. This is why it was felt that there was a need for a winter navigation guidance video. Training material of this kind has not been available before.

The English language video deals with matters crucial to winter navigation: the ice situation and the various types of ice, ships’ capability of navigating in ice, means of avoiding icing of ships and equipment, voyage planning and operation in ice. The video can be watched free-of-charge at www.baltice.org (Ice Training Movie).

The project has been financed by the Finnish Maritime Administration and the European Union, the Swedish and Estonian Maritime Administrations, the Danish Ministry of Defence and St. Petersburg Port Authority, which all distribute the video on DVD in their own countries. In Finland, copies of the DVD have been sent to the maritime colleges. The Finnish Maritime Administration has been responsible for the realization of the whole project.

Guidance for seafarers is also provided by the joint Baltic Sea web service www.baltice.org, which was launched in January this year. Both the web service and the video have been produced by Baltic Icebreaking Management (BIM), a board for various joint projects realized by the icebreaking authorities of the Baltic Sea states.

The web service and the video are part of a EU financed project called Baltic sea Winter Motorways. A third project included is the report ‘Study on frequent lines – Differences in running costs between an icebreaking cargo vessel and a vessel that needs icebreaker assistance’, which has been published by the Finnish Maritime Administration (Merenkulkulaitoksen julkaisuja 7/2006).

Further information:
Mr. Ilmari Aro, Director, Winter Navigation, tel. +358 20 448 4216