In accordance with the Astrakhan seaport master’s order No. 8 dated 24.11.2014 and the Olya seaport master’s order No. 10 dated 24.11.2014 winter navigation 2014 – 2015 in Astrakhan and Olya seaports and on the Astrakhan road is declared opened from 1 December 2014.

Terms of icebreaker assistance in Astrakhan and Olya seaports will be advised later.

Since winter navigation in Astrakhan and Olya seaports and on the Astrakhan road has started, navigation of small size and sport vessels is prohibited, and also there are limitations for vessels not classified as ice-strengthened.

On the threshold of winter navigation the Astrakhan Branch is finishing complex of organizational and technical measures for navigation equipment and ice-breaking fleet preparation for winter.

To ensure safe navigation of vessels in Olya seaport during winter navigation the Astrakhan Branch has installed 32 year-round buoys meant to provide visual orientation along the navigation pass on 138-170 kms of the Volgo-Caspian marine navigation canal before ice channel is established.

In the framework of the procedures on modernization of marine equipment up-to-date satellite systems Fleetbroadband, INM-C, VHF and Navtex systems have been installed on boards of Kapitan Chechkin, Kapitan Bukaev and Kapitan Metsayk ice-breakers of the Astrakhan Branch. This equipment will improve the quality of meteorological and navigational information received on the area of vessels navigation, including necessary forecasts and weather maps, and also maintain non-stop hotlink two-way communication with the the ice operations main office and controller's office of the Astrakhan Branch.

By the beginning of icebreaker assistance in Astrakhan and Olya seaports all three ice-breakers with power of 6.5 mW of the Astrakhan Branch will be ready to provide icebreaker assistance for the vessels entering the ports.