Continent Group has opened a service of container transportation from seaport of Kotka (Finalnd) to Moscow, the company’s press center reports. Test transportation by the new service was held in December 2012. The first containers were delivered in time with no delay or problems with customs clearance. This door-to-door service includes consolidation of all cargoes arriving in Kotka from all over the world (America, Europe, Asia) and further transportation by a container train to Silikatnaya station with further delivery to a customer’s stock in Moscow and return of empty containers to Finland. The service dispatch frequency is every 10 days with 3 days of delivery. All types of cargo in 20-feet and 40-feet containers except for excise and refrigerated cargoes.

Dockers of Steveco have staged one-day strike at the ports of Kotka and Hamina in protest against the personnel policy of the port operator, Yle reported. The strike began on June 13, at 6:00 am (LT) and was supposed to end yesterday morning. About 700 dockers joined the walk-out. The employer said the dockers’ strike violates labor laws.

Settlement Reached in Harbour Strike. A settlement has been reached in the two-week old strike by stevedores. Both the Finnish Transport Workers Union and the Finnish Port Operators Association agreed to a mediation proposal put forward by National Conciliator Esa Lonka. The two sides agreed to a two-year contract. www.yle.fi/uutise...

In the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland 25–45 cm thick fast ice in the archipelago. Farther out, 25–40 cm thick, heavily ridged very close ice and in places areas covered with new ice. Off the Estonian coast there is 10–30 cm thick very close ice. In the Bay of Vyborg, 30–45 cm thick fast ice. Off St. Petersburg there is 40–55 cm thick fast ice to Tolbuhin. Farther out, 20–35 cm thick very close ice to Vaindlo.