site.btaNew Shipping Lane Secured on Danube Near Batin Island

The fairway on the Danube has been changed in the area of the island of Batin - one of the most critical places in the Bulgarian section. This was announced on Tuesday by Ivelin Zanev, Executive Director of the Executive Agency for Exploration and Maintenance of the Danube River (EA EMDR).

The adjustment of the fairway is a fact after dredging was carried out by the EA EMDR teams. The dredging group of the Agency, including the dredger "Yantra", a pontoon, a raft and the manoeuvring vessel "Iskar" were on the spot.

The dredging was carried out last month and the funds were allocated by the Ministry of Transport and Communications. 20,000 cubic metres of silt have been dredged.

This has achieved a minimum width of 130 metres for the shipping lane, minimum depths of 2.50 metres below low navigation and regulation level.

The EA EMDR is planning to deepen a section of the Danube also in the area of Belene Island. The works will start on July 18.

According to the EA EMDR, the level of the Danube at Ruse on Tuesday was 194 cm compared to the conditional elevation "zero". The forecast for the next two days is for it to drop by another 20 centimetres.