Construction, Estonia, Legislation, Transport

The shallowest places of the channel at present measure 4.7 meters below the mean sea level, which means that the operation of ferries may become impossible in the event of lower sea levels.

According to the Maritime Administration, trawling of the channel is no longer an effective means and now maintenance and dredging works are required to bring the minimum depth of the channel to 5.4 meters with mean sea level.

The Maritime Administration has already filed an application with the Ministry of the Environment for a permit for the special use of water to be able to conduct the work. Since the required works also include drawing up the reference terms and the design, and announcing a procurement, the dredging work is expected to start in the second half of 2018.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications has informed the Maritime Administration that the money necessary for the works has been set aside.

Trawling of the Rukki channel to remove rocks and make the bottom of the channel more even was last performed in October 2016. Upon the completion of the work a minimum depth of 5.2 meters was achieved.