Mariupol port is ready to conduct work in winter 2017. Icebreaker "Captain Belousov" and icebreaking tugs "K. Markin," "K. Merkulov," "Portovik" and "Alamak" are ready to perform safe ice channeling in the waters of the Mariupol port and the Sea of Azov. It is reported by the port administration.

According to operational information form Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center, the weather forecast for the month of January 2017 as follows:

• 01- 10 of January. Wind south-west, east in the end of the decade, 2-7 m/s. Sometimes rainfall. Temperature 3° below zero and up to 2° heat, at the end of the decade up to 5 ° below zero;
• 11-20 of January. Wind southerly, on some days the northwest 3-8 m/s. Sometimes rainfall. The air temperature from 4° below zero up to 1° heat. On some days up to 6 ° below zero;
• 21-31 of January. Southwest wind in the first half of decade. South-eastern 3-8 m/s in the second half of decade. Fog and rain on some days. The air temperature in the first half of the decade of 0-5° heat, in the second half - 0-5 ° of frost.

In view of the forecast, it is safe to assume that the prevalence of the winds of the southern and south-western areas will prevent accumulate or harden large ice formations along the coast of port’s approach channel, and even more, will not allow formed ice cover in the Sea of Azov in the path of ships form Kerch-Yenikalsky channel to Mariupol port and back.

Thus, the navigation in the month of January is expected without complications, and the port has reason to believe that the ice campaign can be declared subject to accumulation of ice in the water area of the port or in the approach channel, which is unlikely. According to the order of the Ministry of Infrastructure dd 26.12.2013 no. 1059, in the case of ice campaign announced, to ensuring conduct icebreaking work in the port’s approach channel, the shipowners will be charged a fee of one side (IN or OUT) in the amount of 0.5 USD/m3 on conventional volume of the vessel.