According to SMHI, cold weather is expected to continue for the next ten days. Along the coasts, the Swedish Maritime Administration has begun breaking ice to clear passages for merchant ships. The administration is now preparing for more difficult ice conditions, and within a week all six icebreakers are expected to be operational.
As of February 4, only vessels with a certain ice class and engine power are eligible for icebreaker assistance.
"Our task is to ensure that the ports can stay open and thereby secure Sweden's supply capacity. We are doing our utmost to fulfill our mission with the resources we have available," says Amund Lindberg, operations manager for icebreaker management, in a press release.
