Many ports exist in the world. They began to appear many centuries ago, when the most convenient way to travel was by sea. They were used primarily for trade, and only later - for travel. Of course, such movements were not always safe. But there could simply be no other ways. Sea voyages have always been shrouded in romance and various fascinating stories. It would seem that over the years the relevance of shipping is gradually decreasing. However, this is not at all true. Currently, there are many marine nodes, among which the port of Odessa is especially notable. This article will focus on this particular object, its history and features.
Odessa port: basic information
Now it’s worth figuring out what this marine knot is. To begin with, we should give a general description of it and talk about how important it is for modernity. So, the Odessa seaport is a large facility, one might even say, a sea gate on the Black Sea coast. It is characterized as one of the largest trading hubs, which has an important international status. It is located, as already mentioned above, on the coast, in the Odessa Gulf. Separately, it should be noted that the port includes one of the largest passenger terminals in all of Europe. And in this part it can compete with the largest marine nodes in the world.
When did he appear?
Many are interested in the question of when the Odessa port was built. The construction began at the end of the 18th century, and more precisely in 1794. Of course, the facility was not equipped in one year. Around 1905, he acquired a look close to his current appearance. If we look at the history of the Russian Empire, the port of Odessa ranked second in terms of the volume of turnover of various cargoes. According to these indicators, at that time it was ahead of only the St. Petersburg Sea Junction.
History
So, we presented the basic information about what the Odessa seaport is, as well as some details of its functioning. Now it is worth getting acquainted with his story in more detail, since it is really rich in various events. Initially, high hopes were pinned on this object. It was planned that the main export of goods of New Russia and Ukraine to other countries through the Black Sea will be carried out here. This goal was pursued during construction.
As mentioned above, the construction of the facility began in 1794. It is no coincidence that by 1801, Odessa became the leader in freight turnover and the main center of trade . Odessa port by this time took a prominent place. More than 300 thousand rubles have already been spent on its construction, which at that time was considered a huge amount. By its 50th anniversary, the maritime knot has already justified all the hopes placed on it and has broken all kinds of records. More grain was exported from Odessa at that time than from all over America. In terms of cargo turnover, of all Russian ports, it was second only to Petersburg.
Port participation in the Great Patriotic War
It is worth noting that Odessa took a great part in the Great Patriotic War. In 1941, the city was surrounded. It took incredible heroic efforts to repulse the attack of the German invaders. The defense lasted quite a long time - as much as 73 days. Odessa Port provided invaluable assistance during this difficult time. He made it possible to facilitate many processes, for example, supplying fighters with various ammunition, weapons and other necessary things.
It was the port that allowed people and wounded soldiers to be evacuated from the city and the equipment of various enterprises to be transported. The existence of this node and the ability to deliver the necessary things by sea made it possible to carry out a successful and incredibly long defense of the city, which at that time was surrounded. During this time, the port was significantly destroyed. However, its restoration began in 1944, even before the end of the war.
Interesting Facts
Thus, it has now become clear how significant the port has played in the life of the city and country throughout its existence. The sea gates of the Black Sea really were and remain an important transport hub. In addition, there are many interesting facts and stories related to this most important object. One of them is connected with the warehouses built here. These are premises used as warehouses.
Here they were built at the beginning of the 20th century and attracted the attention of many famous writers. They got into the city guide as peculiar sights. The writer V. Kataev also mentioned them in his work “Cemetery in Skulyany”. A description of the warehouse is also found in another Russian writer, A. Kuprin. In one of his stories under the name "Gambrinus" you can find an interesting passage. He talks about how the unloading of ships. Moreover, the writer described this process from nature.
Port today
So, the important strategic importance of the port at all times was considered. Many will probably ask themselves this question: what is its role these days? Has he lost his relevance? There is no single answer to this question. Nowadays, the port of Odessa also plays a significant role in various cargo transportation. Of course, it should be noted that in the 1990s, like most other objects, he was in crisis because the volume of goods transported decreased markedly. Many workers in this difficult situation had to look for work in other ports.
However, already from the beginning of 2000, the situation began to improve: cargo turnover was gradually increasing. To date, there has been a significant update to this facility. The berths of the Odessa port have a length of more than 9 kilometers. Many component parts were reconstructed. For example, maritime station, hotel and others. According to data for 2009, the port's cargo turnover for the year amounted to about 34 million tons of cargo, which is an excellent indicator.