The ice blocks on Danube start to be discharged in the sea

After the level of Danube has increased in the last days, concerning the local authorities, in this morning has been recorded for the first time a decreasing level than Monday.

The Danube level at Galaţi measured Thursday morning is 487 cm, with 4 cm less than Monday.

The share of attention of Danube at Galaţi, of 560 cm, was not reached.

The decrease of Danube level is due both to coldness and to the fact that the ice is not blocked, being discharged towards the sea on Sulina and Chilia channels, where the ice is 35% flowing and, respectively, 25%.

Furthermore, Perseus, Hercules and Gheorghieni and the military ship Grozavu are breaking the ice bridge from the Isaccea, so that the ice cumulated downstream of Galaţi, in the right side of the Naval Site Damen, can be discharged in their way to the sea.

Even on the area between Galaţi and Brăila 7 ships of the economical agents from the respective area also act in order to shred the ice.

The result consists in the fact that in the area of the passing point of Danube with the ferry from the shore of Galaţi on the shore of Tulcea doesn’t pass anymore ice so massive so that it put in danger the transportation.

Therefore, the ferries have resumed their courses two days ago, inclusively for auto vehicles, activity which had been suspended in the last month.

Towards Insula Mare of Brăila only ferries with technical equipments are passing, and on Danube cliff there are tens of ships moored at shore with a lot of damage, while other ships have been sunk.

Due to ice cumulated downstream of Galaţi, the economic activity from the port is blocked.

The steel factory Arcelor Mittal has publicly expressed its concern regarding the difficulty with which the authorities are acting in breaking the ice.

Because other waterways are impracticable, the factory has chosen the railways for bringing the raw material and for charging the finished product, but this alternative implies a lot more costs.

Therefore, the factory is recording a decrease of production and, thus, of exports.

Even the Naval Site is affected, postponing for the third time during a month the launching on water of a ship which is designed for the Agriculture and Fishing Ministry from Angola.

Measure of pollution prevention at Călăraşi

The transshipment of fuel continues today at Călăraşi from a barge that failed on Danube shore due to ice shelf . The barge belongs to “Attila” ship, under Moldavian flag and has at its board 1.100 tons of gasoline.--fb1

The transfer of gasoline has started since yesterday and until this moment there are no problems. The charging in the barge is made with a pump of a small capacity and this is why the operation takes two days long.

According to the head of Environmental Clearance, Rareş Ionescu, quoted by our correspondent Daniela Mihalache, there were established absorbent sacks around the barge in order to prevent an eventual drain of gasoline.

After the barge will be empted, it will be pulled back on water and charged again, so that “Attila”, with its three barges, can continue its way.


Alexandra-Diana Mircea
MTTLC, Bucharest University