The north of the European part of Russia is rich in forests, furs and seafood. The subarctic climate makes the territory difficult to access, but the northerners have their own gem - the White Sea. Ports use it for transportation both external and internal. Fish and algae are harvested in the waters, and they are fishing for sea animals. Timber is being rafted across the White Sea. So since ancient times it has played a key role in the development of the northern region.
White Sea: ports
The Arctic Ocean has several inland seas. Among them is the White Sea. Its ports are located in the four largest bays. But here, in the north, another name for the bay is widespread - the lip. Large ports of the White Sea are located in the Dvina, Mezen, Onega Bays and in the Kandalaksha Bay.
Road infrastructure in many places is still not well developed, so harbors are taking over some of thetransport tasks of the region. The seaports of the White Sea are Arkhangelsk, Mezen, Kandalaksha, Umba, Onega, Kem, Belomorsk, Vitino. Let's take a closer look at the largest of them.
Major ports of the Arkhangelsk region: Arkhangelsk, Mezen, Onega
Arkhangelsk is not only the administrative center of the region and the capital of Pomorie, but also the oldest port city in Russia. It is the largest of all the harbors of the White Sea region - its capacity allows it to process 4.5 million tons of cargo annually. The length of the berths here is 3.3 km, the area of warehouses is 292 thousand square meters.
For many years, the pier near Arkhangelsk was the only one from where trade was carried out with other countries. Only after the founding of St. Petersburg and the emergence of the St. Petersburg port, its permeability dropped sharply: Peter the Great forcibly transferred trade with foreign states from Arkhangelsk to St. Petersburg. But during the Second World War, when Leningrad was under blockade, it was the port of Arkhangelsk that received the help of the allied states under Lend-Lease.
In addition to Arkhangelsk, the Mezen port is also located in the region, which is located 45 km from the confluence of the Mezen River into the White Sea. It arose in 1872, but still does not have a railway connection with the country's transport infrastructure. Navigation here takes 5 months: from June to October. The Mezen port is rapidly losing its positions in the transportation of goods: if in 1978 it processed more than 178 thousand tons of them in a year, then after 30 years - a little more than 20 thousand. The minimum was recorded in 2015year - then the port was able to accept and process only 8.7 thousand tons of various cargoes.
Onega is another of the largest ports. It is located on the right bank of the Onega River, which flows into the White Sea. Ports in these parts generally operate only during the navigation period. Units accept cargo all year round. Onega port was no exception - it is available for ships from May to early November.
Ekaterina II founded the port of Onega in 1781. From that moment until the collapse of the USSR, it actively developed, performed not only the function of cargo processing, but was also used to transport passengers by sea and river transport.
With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the cargo turnover and attendance of the port fell sharply: if in 1980 300 ships entered the port, then in 2010 it received only 40.
Port of the Murmansk region - Kandalaksha
The port city of Kandalaksha is located on the eastern coast of the Kandalaksha Bay, 200 km south of Murmansk. The status of a city was assigned to this settlement in 1938, although the first mention of it dates back to the eleventh century. Over 31,000 people live in the harbor. Kandalaksha, having a seaport at its disposal, is also a major railway junction.
Navigation here, despite the harsh climate, is year-round. The port is large, it has 5 universal berths, and all of them are equipped with railway and automobile entrances for convenience. There are many storage areas. The main cargo that the port accepts is hard coal.
In conclusion
The ports of the White Sea have always played an important role in the country's economy. But with the collapse of the Soviet Union, many of them were abandoned, some of them drastically reduced their productivity. Now, due to the growing interest in the Arctic, we can hope for the revival of these places, because the significance of the White Sea for the country is truly priceless.
