2 cargo ships trapped near Estonia's large islands due to drift ice

TALLINN - Due to strong winds and drift ice, in the early hours on Wednesday, two cargo ships were trapped near Estonia's large western islands, and one of them received assistance from the ferry Toll, which operates between Muhu Island and the mainland.

During the night, the cargo ship Friendland, transiting through the Vainameri Sea, reported being unable to move forward near the northeastern coast of Muhu Island due to strong easterly winds that had blocked the shipping lane with drift ice. At 3 p.m., the ferry Toll departed from Virtsu to clear a path for the ship, expected to reach the site around 4:30 p.m.

Guldar Kivro, head of shipping at Estonian ferry operator TS Laevad and a member of the management board, said that the company received the call for help from Friendland, which was en route from Latvia to Naantali, Finland, on Wednesday morning.

Currently, the Virtsu-Kuivastu line operates on a winter schedule, and ferry Toll headed for the rescue mission after completing its scheduled trips. According to Kivro, the two vessels will together move south towards the Viirelaid pilot point, from where Friendland will continue its journey around Saaremaa and Hiiumaa islands towards Finland.

Kivro added that TS Laevad ferries Piret, Toll, Tiiu, and Leiger, all with A1 ice class, keep the Virtsu-Kuivastu and Rohukula-Heltermaa lines open in winter with their own resources. They also assist with icebreaking in the Vainameri Sea when possible. In previous years, there have been no major ice problems, but TS Laevad has helped vessels visiting the ports operated by AS Saarte Liinid with all their ships, he added.

A second ship, Bugoe, sailing under the Portuguese flag departed from Roomassaare Port for Stockholm but drifted off course on Tuesday night due to east winds of 12-14 meters per second and drift ice. Efforts to guide the ship back to port with a tugboat and pilot boat failed due to strong wind and low water levels. Bugoe is expected to return to Roomassaare Port on Friday when the wind changes direction and the sea level in the channel rises.

The Latvian flagged Friendland was built in 2002 and has the highest ice class A1 and a power of 2,900 kilowatts. Bugoe was built in 2008.

There is no danger to the crew or potential environmental pollution from either of the ships trapped in the ice. The Estonian State Fleet, Transport Administration, AS Saarte Liinid, and TS Laevad, in cooperation with ship captains, are monitoring and addressing the situation.

Due to the severe ice conditions, the State Fleet has suspended the pilotage of transit ships through the Vainameri Sea until further notice. Depending on weather and ice conditions, disruptions in pilot services may also occur for ships visiting ports in the Vainameri Sea area.