The most profitable enterprise of Sevastopol is the local port. In the rating of objects that bring profit to the treasury, for many years in a row it takes the first places, by an order of magnitude overtaking such unimportant industries as fish canning factory and plant «Novy», «Inkermanskij vintage wines plant», agrofirm «Zolotaya Balka» and «Sevastopol Marine Plant», engaged in ship repair and manufacture of floating cranes.
Located this wonderful enterprise on the southern shore of Sevastopol Bay, in the southwest of the Crimean Peninsula. From the administrative center of Crimea — the city of Simferopol, it is remote by a distance of 80 km. The peculiarity of this enterprise is its versatility. Unlike most of its colleagues, it has long been working in three planes — transportation of passengers, receiving and shipping of raw materials and goods, as well as providing the needs of the military-industrial complex of the two countries.
Another joy for those who sail in the waters of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov is that the waters in Sevastopol Bay froze for the last time in those times when Cossacks sailed on «gull» type vessels and tried to terrorize the Turkish sultan. The phenomenon is described in the annals and is currently considered an exception, only confirming the general trend — Sevastopol seaport does not freeze!
Although the strategic potential of the local bay was appreciated by the Greeks of Heraclea, the Romans, the Byzantines and the subordinates of the Ottoman sultans, the construction of a real port was initiated by one economic lady — Catherine the Great. In 1784 she signed a manifesto. In it 5 Black Sea cities, including Sevastopol, were declared zones open for international trade. The new provision obliged the inhabitants of Korsun — this is the ancient name of the city, to acquire a decent pier. After that, of course, a customs building and a port office were built.
Special luster Sevastopol port gave the railroad, built in 1875. Thanks to it, the uninterrupted delivery of goods and their subsequent export by sea was organized. Even a special word appeared on this occasion — «vacation» port.
When the Crimean War broke out, regular flights to Constantinople were organized from here. The hegemony of this enterprise on the Black Sea was slightly undermined by the decree of 1890, when the Committee of Ministers tried to transfer all international commercial operations to Feodosia, leaving Sevastopol only cabotage, passengers and military business.
Curiously, at the beginning of the last century, 5.5 thousand people worked in the Seaport. All other enterprises of the city employed only 1.4 thousand people. When in 1905 the first revolutionary wave passed through the Russian Empire, Sevastopol port was closed for international transportation and focused only on the service of state warships.
The port, generously funded by the government, grew from Tsarskaya Wharf to Streletskaya Bay until 1914. Though its infrastructure was destroyed in World War I and the subsequent Civil War, the USSR threw its first free money into «resuscitating» Sevastopol Seaport. Heroic defense during World War II and the port’s closure in the following years became the next identifying features of this flagship of Sevastopol’s economy.
Today, the port occupies the first place in the list of «commercial attractions of Sevastopol». Its ships are engaged in metal transportation, and also participate in cruise activities. This required the enterprise to enter the Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports. In addition, on vacation in Sevastopol constantly stays a good quarter of Russian sailors, whose government rents in Ukraine 38 berths. And the most interesting project of this century is recognized as the desire of the Americans to take the seaport in concession, taking away the berths from the RF Black Sea Fleet for this purpose.