All five of the Swedish Maritime Administration's icebreakers are now in service, says the agency.
According to the Swedish Maritime Administration, the Gulf of Bothnia is currently ice covered down to Umeå, after a milder start in winter than usual.
"Because of the mild start of the season, the ice has not grown very thick, which means that the traffic can manage on its own in many places even in the Gulf of Bothnia. However, during periods of harsher wind, areas with ice press arise, where the ice is pushed together, which makes it important that the icebreakers are in place and supervise the traffic," says Emma Grönkvist at the Swedish Maritime Administration's icebreaker management in a press release
So far during this year's season, the Swedish Maritime Administration's icebreaker has assisted 167 vessels. Normally, the season runs from December to the end of May.
"Even if our assistance has so far been fewer this year, our presence and constant readiness means a guarantee that deliveries will arrive and that industry in particular and society in general will not stand still," says Emma Grönkvist.
Facts: Icebreaker of the Swedish Maritime Administration
The Swedish Maritime Administration has five own icebreakers: Ale, Atle, Frej, Oden and Ymer. If necessary, external resources are rented in the form of tugs.
On average, 3.500 vessels operate in Sweden under icebreaker management each year.
Almost ten million tons of goods per winter are transported to and from the ports of the Gulf of Bothnia, equivalent to about one million lorries.
For some years now, Sweden and Finland have been working very closely together on ice mining, which may mean that it is sometimes a Finnish icebreaker who assists traffic to a Swedish port and vice versa.
Source: Swedish Maritime Administration