Zhdanov Commercial Seaport

(formerly Mariupol’ Commercial Seaport), a major port of the Sea of Azov, built from 1880 to 1889.

As early as the second half of the 19th century, the shallow river harbor at the mouth of the Kal’mius River 5 km from the city of Mariupol’, used by small vessels transporting grain and salt, was no longer able to handle the growing freight load of grain, coal, and other cargoes. The need for a seaport grew with the rise of the coal and metallurgical industries in southern Russia and with the laying of a railroad track to Mariupol’ in 1882. The port was originally intended for loading and unloading up to 20 million poods (more than 320,000 tons) of grain and coal, but after only two seasons (1889–91) this proved to be an insufficient capacity. By 1910 a new coal pier had been built, and the anchoring area for ships had been deepened to 24 feet (7.3 m).

In the Soviet period the export of coal, metal, and grain increased, as did the importing of manganese ore (from Poti), cement (from Novorossiisk), and other cargoes. In the 1930’s new docks and a grain elevator were built, and loading equipment was installed. In 1936 new port facilities were erected near the Azovstal’ Works for delivery of ore and agglomerate to the works and for shipping out its products. During the Great Patriotic War, from 1941 to 1943, the port was severely damaged. It resumed operations in 1945. Between 1952 and 1961 the port was rebuilt, and the handling of its main cargoes was comprehensively mechanized. Along with the increased turnover of such bulk cargoes as coal, ore, grain, and metals, the number of vessels handling general import-export cargoes and industrial equipment between the USSR and such countries as Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Yugoslavia, France, Egypt, and Tunisia grew considerably. The port is open to oceangoing vessels the year round thanks to the use of icebreakers.