Access to the sea is important for any country, because the waterway is a great trade, economic and political opportunity. Mariupol Commercial Sea Port in Mariupol is a significant state object of Ukraine. Its history and development are of public interest. We will talk about how the port was created and what its features are today.
Geographical position
The city and port of Mariupol are located on the shores of the Sea of Azov, in the northwestern part of the Taganrog Bay. The port is located 14 km from the entrance to the bay, administratively it belongs to the Donetsk region of Ukraine and is one of the four largest sea harbors of the state. The coast of Mariupol rises to 68 meters above sea level, the terrain is mostly flat. The total area of the city is 166 square meters. km, and 0.67 square meters. km is Mariupol port.
Climate
Mariupol, the port is located in the zone of temperate continental climate. Local weather is greatly mitigated by the proximity of the Sea of Azov. Winter is warm, humid and short, and summer is long, sultry, arid. In the warmer months, clear, sunny days prevail; in the whole year, the sun shines 2340 hours. Rainfall in the region is not very much (420 mm), this is due to the fact that there is little rain in the summer. This climate provides an opportunity to grow various thermophilic vegetables and fruits. But the city and its suburbs are poorly provided with water resources. The volumes of the Kalmius river are not enough to cover the existing needs for fresh water, so several artificial reservoirs have been created in the settlement area. The average annual temperature in Mariupol is plus 13.5 degrees. In winter, the thermometer drops to minus 1-2 degrees. Ingoda can be frozen up to 10-15 degrees. In summer, the temperature on average stays in the region of 23 degrees Celsius, but the thermometer can also rise to +35. The sea in the region of Mariupol in summer warms up to 24-26 degrees of heat on average. In winter, especially in January-February, the waters cool down very much, sometimes an ice crust forms on the surface.
History of the city
The territory on which the seaport of Mariupol today is located has long been inhabited by people. The convenient location by the river and the sea made this place profitable for living. Many ancient tribes lived here, from the 10th century the lands were under the control of Kievan Rus. In 1223, the famous battle of Kalka took place between the Russians and the Polovtsy and the Mongol-Tatar army. As a result, the Russians were defeated, and the lands for a long time passed under the power of the Tatars, here the Crimean Khanate was subsequently formed. The original inhabitants, peasants who fled from the invaders, became the founders of the Cossacks. In the 16-18 centuries, Zaporozhye Cossacks settled here, who erected fortifications to protect themselves from the attacks of the Crimean Tatars. However, the city of Mariupol itself dates back to the second half of the 18th century (1778), when the Church of St. Nicholas was built in the fortress and a settlement was laid nearby, which first bore the name Pavlovsk.
In 1779, by order of Empress Catherine the Second, the city of Mariupol was created here, where it was ordered to resettle the Orthodox Greeks, who were taken from the territory of the Crimean Khanate. Immigrants were granted special land rights and benefits. In 1780, the city officially received the name Mariupol. The Greeks set about active construction. And the city began to grow rapidly. When Crimea became part of the Russian Empire, some of the former settlers returned to their homeland, and their lands were distributed to newly arrived residents. So the German diaspora was created, many free Cossacks arrived, baptized Jews were resettled. The city became more and more multinational. Each nation found its own business niche, and this contributed to the rapid economic development of the region. The construction of the port gave a powerful impetus to the growth of the city. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a railway was built in Mariupol, the largest metallurgical plant, and the port was expanding. In Soviet times, the city continued to grow, although it could not avoid the tragic losses during the war years. After the collapse of the USSR, Mariupol became one of the most important port cities of Ukraine and today continues its labor activity for the benefit of the country and residents.
Port history
In 1886, the port of Mariupol began to be built, which became a logical continuation of the policy of the Russian government to develop the south of the country and to create new opportunities for trade. For three years, workers have deepened the harbor for the passage of heavy vessels, built a promenade, jetties, breakwaters. In 1889, the grand opening of the port took place. And regular transportation of coal from Donetsk mines began. Then, foreign ships began to arrive at the port to conduct trade. Over the following years, it modernized and expanded, turning into a large modern harbor.
Mariupol port characteristic
In the competition between the ports, those that can serve ships of any type win - and this is Mariupol. The port is capable of receiving vessels of virtually any carrying capacity all year round, and this is its undoubted advantage over many harbors of the Sea of Azov. Mariupol is equipped with special systems that deal with the ice pilotage of ships using an icebreaker. This allows you to serve ships all year round. The port has all types of communications with crews, including satellite. Its conditions are such that vessels with a draft of up to 8 meters and with a maximum length of 240 meters can enter it. Almost 12 thousand square meters are equipped to accommodate cargo in the port. m of covered warehouses and 240 thousand square meters. m open areas. Mariupol is connected with more than 150 ports of all continents.
Port Specialization
The port of Mariupol is capable of accepting vessels with a carrying capacity of up to 10 thousand tons, container ships, bulk carriers for coal transportation. It mainly interacts with the harbors of the Mediterranean and Red Seas, the Volga-Don system, East Africa and the Persian Gulf. The port of Mariupol specializes in the reception of grain, piece goods, ore, coke, coal, construction materials, metal, pipes, food containers, oil products, heavy and oversized equipment.
Current state of the port
Today the port of Mariupol is one of the largest sea gates of Ukraine. More than 17 million tons of various cargo passes through it annually, and this figure is increasing every year. The port is the most important enterprise in the city of Mariupol and gives the country a constant decent influx of currency. Part of the profit is constantly directed to the modernization and improvement of the enterprise. The port is provided with the most modern equipment. This allows him to accept ships in all weather conditions. The Mariupol port maritime report can be continuously monitored online, the pilotage service provides reliable escort of ships, and the unloading and logistics services allow you to quickly and guaranteedly deliver the goods to the desired address or to warehouses for storage.
Port museum
Over the years of the port's existence, many documents and interesting artifacts have accumulated. To organize and store this valuable information, the Museum of the Mariupol Commercial Sea Port (Mariupol) was created. In 2012, he moved into a new, modern building. In two halls of the museum, visitors can familiarize themselves with the history of the creation and development of the port. Here you can also see photos of the harbor staff, a layout of its territory, and maps of the routes of accepted ships.
