Driving the international Heihe-Blagoveshchensk Ice Road
The Heihe-Blagoveshchensk ice road is a seasonal route that links Heihe, a city in China, with Blagoveshchensk, a city in Russia.
Where is the Heihe-Blagoveshchensk Ice Road?
The ice road runs south-north from Blagoveshchensk, a city and the administrative center of Amur Oblast, at the confluence of the Amur and the Zeya Rivers to Heihe, a city of northern Heilongjiang province.
When you can drive the Heihe-Blagoveshchensk Ice Road?
This unique ice road opens every winter on the frozen Amur River. During the long winter months, the frozen river transforms into an ice highway. Each year, the cargo and passenger flow along the road has been rising, making it a crucial solution to the tonnage limitations for trucks moving on the ice.
How Long is the Heihe-Blagoveshchensk Ice Road?
This ice road stretches 614 meters long and 13 meters wide. Between 1965 and 1984, there was no cross-border contact, and Chinese and Soviet soldiers guarded the riverbanks. Now, the river serves as a frontline for trade, facilitating commerce between the two countries.
How is the Ice Road Constructed?
The road operates for 60 to 70 days each winter and is constructed using ice-supported floating objects to accommodate the winter season. It can support trucks weighing 40 tonnes or less. The floating section consists of nine converted feeder ships.
Pic: http://www.rcinet.ca/eye-on-the-arctic/2016/11/06/blog-chinas-one-belt-one-road-project-comes-to-the-arctic/