More counter-examples.
The Siberian Times calls it a “blow to Northern Sea Route.”
24 Jan 2017 – The vessels Kapitan Dranitsyn and Admiral Makarov are ‘marooned’ for the rest of the winter after getting trapped off Chukotka.
The icebreakers and the two bulk carriers they were escorting became stuck about 24 miles from Pevek, Russia’s northernmost port, earlier this month.
Thick compressed ice and ‘severe’ conditions prevented the icebreakers and supply ships from moving across the East Siberian Sea on their way to Arkhangelsk.
A spokesman for Rosmorport has announced the icebreakers will delay a return until probably May or early June. ‘The vessels will remain for the winter because of the very heavy severe ice conditions,’ he said.
Ruslan Nazarov, chief of Chukotka’s emergencies service, said at the time the ships became stuck: ‘The ice fields are more than (1 meter (3 ft)) thick. The ice compression is strong and hummocks are higher than 2.5 meters (8 ft).’