A number of cargo vessels have reportedly become stranded in the Baltic Sea after the region expected its worst winter ice conditions in 15 years.
The harsh conditions have impacted shipping in a number of countries since late February, thus requiring available icebreakers including those from Russia to work full-time to ensure safe navigation.
In Finland, for instance, the country's Transport Infrastructure Agency has reported that several ships transiting Finnish territorial waters as well as international waters off the country have become stranded as a result of ice buildup caused by extremely low temperatures in the Gulf of Finland.
Reports stated that the current ice cover in the Baltic Sea has reached 181,000 square kilometres whereas it would be around only 141,000 square kilometres at most during a typical winter.
Finnish officials expect conditions to worsen during early March and even shortly afterwards, though normal navigation may again be possible before the end of the month.
During the 2010-2011 winter in the Baltic Sea region, the ice cover reached 309,000 square kilometres, nearly the same total area of the Gulf of Finland. The ice in some placed even had a thickness of 70 centimetres in that same period.
