The icebreaker "Varma," which began operations in the Gulf of Riga on February 4 of this year, has serviced 81 vessels to date — escorting them on their journey and freeing vessels trapped in the ice, the LETA agency was informed by the Riga Free Port Authority, LETA reports.
The longest convoy of vessels this season, which "Varma" escorted through the bay, consisted of 11 vessels.
The port reported that the icebreaker has been actively working in the bay for 15 days. It operates in ten-day cycles, returning to port every ten days to replenish supplies.
It is forecasted that work at sea may continue for about another month; however, there is a possibility of complications as melting ice begins to move with the onset of warmer weather. For example, in the milder winter of 2018, "Varma" operated at sea from February 24 to April 3.
Currently, the icebreaker "Varma" is facing particularly challenging conditions in the Gulf of Riga. According to management representatives, such harsh ice conditions in the bay have not been observed in the last 15 years — this is also noted by colleagues from the Estonian state fleet. At the same time, the greatest challenge at sea is the wind, which contributes to the movement of ice and the formation of ridges, overcoming which creates additional strain, while the ice situation changes literally every hour, so the vessels' routes are adjusted according to the conditions in the bay's ice.
The management added that to keep the vessel operational, the port has done significant work to ensure that the ship, built in 1968, is in the best technical shape; however, there are also technical issues characteristic of its age. Despite the heavy workload, the crew is capable of addressing technical challenges, the management emphasized.
It was previously reported that in the port's waters, icebreaking work is carried out by the multifunctional ice-class vessel "Laura," owned by the subsidiary of the Riga Free Port Authority, LLC "LVR flote." When winter frosts form ice in the marine bay, "Varma" comes into operation.
The last time "Varma" went on an icebreaking mission was in the winter of 2018. The maintenance of the vessel requires work throughout the year, and although it did not go out for icebreaking work in previous winters, trial trips and mechanism checks are conducted regularly, the management previously explained.
According to information on the "LVR flote" website, the icebreaker "Varma" was built in 1968. Its length is 84.1 meters, and its width is 21.2 meters.
In the Riga Free Port, 16.749 million tons of cargo were transshipped in 2025, which is 7.3% less than in 2024.
The Riga port is the largest port in Latvia by cargo transshipment volume.
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