The Port of St. Petersburg

1. The coast of the gulf of Finland is closely connected with the history of our merchant marine. The first ship called at St. Petersburg in 1703. Since then a new port has begun to grow rapidly. In 1704 a big shipyard of the Chief Admiralty was founded in the city. In 1721 a galley (галерная) harbour was built.

2. At first the harbour was situated on the Spit of Vassilievsky Island. Later the port could not accommodate a great number of ships calling at St. Petersburg and the harbour was moved to the mouth of the Neva. In 1885 the Morskoy Canal leading to the entrance of the sea commercial port was constructed. The length of this canal is 15 miles. Today owing to its position in the mouth of the wide and deep Neva the port of St. Petersburg is easily approached by sea-going vessels as well as by coasters.

3. The ships registered at St. Petersburg call at many ports of the world. The port of St. Petersburg has a variety of cargo vessels. The cargo fleet includes modern ro-ro ships, container-carriers, dry cargo handling facilities and navigation equipment of the latest design, ensuring the safety of navigation. Ships carry machinery and equipment, metal goods, ore, cement and building materials, timber, paper, oil, grain, sugar and many other goods. They carry not only Russian cargo, but also that of foreign owners.