History

Rostov-on-Don was founded in 1749 as Empress Yelizaveta (Elizabeth) Petrovna signed an Order on the establishment of a State Custom House at the Temernik River mouth. The next year (1750) a port was laid here. Thus south Russian trade arouse at the Don mouth. The lower Don territories had long attracted the Russian Government as a possible outpost for commercial intercourse with the ports of the Azov, Black and Mediterranean Seas.

The fast economic growth of Rostov in the first half of the 19th century was due to the city’s participation in the foreign trade of Russia. The river was Rostov’s thoroughfare, the Don was used to drive innumerable barges and ships filled with salt, grain, tea, leather, textiles, sugar, tobacco, fish, wine and metal to Rostov Port.

The city occupied a special position in the Russian exports of iron taken abroad directly from Rostov, which became the principal iron exporting place in the south of the country.

Especially intensive Rostov was developed after the 1870s, when railways from Moscow, Ukraine, the Caucasus stretched to it. Rostov was then turned into a large rail junction.

Last century Rostov Port was still increasing its freight flows. Surviving in the Great Patriotic War, being completely destroyed, the Port managed not only to recover its operation, but as the Volga-Don fairway was placed in service, turned into the largest South Russian terminal where cargoes were freighted from water to railway and from railway to water.

Increasing the volumes of the cargoes handled year to year, the Port by 1989 reached its peak, which was over 12 mln. tons of cargoes per year.

The abrupt transition to the market economy of 1991 and the economic links breakdown produced a negative affect on the financial and economic state of the enterprises of Russia, which naturally echoed in the operation of each system of the Port.

In 1998 Rostov Port was granted the international status. This fact influenced significantly the freight traffic scheme: the Port now reoriented to handle exported and imported cargoes. Currently their share is making more than 97% of the total cargo turn-over.

By Order No. 1009 of the President of Russia, dated 4 August 2004, the Rostov Port Joint Stock Company was included in the list of strategic enterprises and strategic stock companies. 25.5% of its shares are fixed as federal property.

Rostov Port entered the register of those subjects of natural monopolies in transportation, which are regulated and controlled by the Government.