Tuapse Seaport

a port on the east coast of the Black Sea, on Tuapse Bay. Part of the Novorossua Ocean Steamship Line. Established in 1838.

The first port structures were built in the period 1896–99, and from 1906 to 1909 the west mole was constructed and dredging was done. In 1913 the port was connected by rail with the city of Armavir. During World War I (1914–18) and the Civil War (1918–20), cargo operations ceased; the port was partially destroyed, and the construction of a new port, begun in 1910, was interrupted. Restoration work began in 1923, and by 1939 a petroleum pier with berths, a broad mole, and southeast mole had been constructed and the berths of the south mole had been re-equipped for the transfer of petroleum cargo. During the Great Patriotic War (1941–45), the port structures were destroyed. They were restored and modernized by 1956.

The Tuapse Seaport is among the leading Black Sea ports in the export of petroleum cargo, with a freight turnover of more than 10 million tons a year (1975). Since 1973 the port has admitted tankers with capacities of up to 60,000 tons. Work is under way (1976) on the installation of borders and on lengthening the berths of the broad mole; the new facilities are intended to increase the port’s turnover of bulk cargo and piece goods to about 2 million tons a year.

The Tuapse Seaport receives Soviet and foreign ships. It has a passenger berth with an arrival and departure building.