tion is only 0.1 to 0.3 m, but storm surge caused by
Shore-based pilotage, recommending
northwest winds can be as much as 2.4 m in the
routes for specific locations,
strait. Constant currents under calm conditions are
Aircraft-assisted pilotage (fixed-wing
and/or helicopter),
from the west at 0.1 to 0.3 kn. Under the influence
Russian ice pilot on board,
of typical winds, currents are 0.2 to 1.3 kn and can
Icebreaker leading escort,
change direction very quickly following a change
Icebreaker escort with a Russian ice pilot
of wind direction.
on board.
The Sannikova Strait, another west-to-east trend-
ing passage from the Laptev to the East Siberian
Shore-based guidance is likely to be rendered
Sea, is approximately 160 nm long with a fairway at
at the beginning and end of a transit voyage, that
least 16 nm wide. Minimum depths in the fairway
is, in ice-free areas of the Barents and Chukchi
are greater than 13 m. Severe ice conditions are of-
Seas. The level of control and guidance increases
ten encountered, forcing a deviation from the rec-
with the severity of ice conditions, both existing
ommended track through the strait. Deviations to
and expected. "Icebreaker escort with ice pilot on
the north are riskier in terms of submerged ob-
board" is mandatory for the perennially difficult
stacles. Freezeup commences in early October and
straits of Vil'kitskogo, Shokal'skogo, Dmitriya
is complete by the end of the month. The ice,
Lapteva, and Sannikova.
mainly landfast, remains in the strait until mid-
The shore route has been sectioned into six zones
July (the mean date of breakup is July 21) when
of varying environmental severity by Batskikh and
strong or prolonged east winds favor its clearance.
Mikhailichenko (1993). Each has its own environ-
West winds tend to bring in heavy ice from the
mental character requiring different navigational
Laptev Sea. Depending on the ice conditions in the
tactics:
East Siberian Sea, final clearing in the strait can
occur anytime from early August to late September.
1. From Murmansk to Kolguyev Island (33 to
The Longa Strait, an expansive passage sepa-
50E longitude)--Generally ice-free or has
rating Wrangel Island from mainland Russia, is
only primary ice present. Ice-class vessels can
the transition between the East Siberian and the
ply on their own without icebreaker assis-
Chukchi Seas. It is so wide that it is not treated
tance.
as a strait by either DMA or RSMOT. That is,
2. From Kolguyev Island to the port of Maka-
the sailing directions issued by both agencies
rova (50 to 85E)--Navigation requires as-
are not explicit as to its west-to-east geographic
sistance by Arktika-class (75,000 shp) ice-
limits or for specific hydrometeorological con-
breaker through drifting first-year ice.
ditions to be found therein. Kjerstad (1994) lists
3. From Makarova to the northernmost main-
southern and northern route variations through
land peninsula of Chelyuskin (85 to 105E)--
this strait as being 120 nm and 160 nm long,
Navigation through fast ice under convoy of
respectively. The directions given are for ap-
Arktika- or Vaygach-class (50,000 shp) ice-
proaching either the mainland or the island, as
breaker.
opposed to navigating between them. Depths
4. From Chelyuskin Peninsula to the Novosibir-
are apparently not of concern when keeping to
skiy Islands (105 to 140E)--Ice conditions
offshore courses. In general, heavy accumula-
and tactics are similar to those for section 2.
tions of rubbled ice that make navigation diffi-
5. From the Novosibirskiy Islands to Wrangel
cult can be expected. Fog is also a challenge
Island (140 to 178E)--Navigation is through
during the warm season. In both July and Au-
drifting first- and multiyear sea ice with
gust the mean number of foggy days is 16, de-
Arktika-class icebreaker assistance. It is cur-
creasing to about eight in September.
rently preferred to convoy a single cargo ves-
sel using two icebreakers.
Navigation aids
6. From Wrangel Island to the Bering Strait
(178E to 170W)--Navigation is in drifting
Icebreaker escort
first- and multiyear sea ice under Arktika-
Operations while en route are monitored and
class icebreaker convoy.
strictly controlled by the regional MOHQ. The
The above prescription shows that the criti-
regulations issued by the ANSR describe the vari-
cal section is from the Novosibirskiy Islands to
ous modes of assistance that the MOHQ can re-
Wrangel Island and the Longa Strait. Successful
quire, depending on the severity of ice conditions:
36
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