Berdyansk Commercial Sea Port Coal Terminal
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Berdyansk Commercial Sea Port Coal Terminal (Ukrainian: Вугільний термінал, Бердянський морський торговельний порт) is a coal terminal in Ukraine. The port is located on the Sea of Azov.
Location
Berdyansk Commercial Sea Port Coal Terminal is located in the northeastern part of Berdyansk Bay, leading out to Azov Sea; Berdyansk, Zaporozhye Region, Ukraine.
Background
The port handles coal at berths 5 and 7-9, with daily coal capacity of 4,000 tonnes a day, or 1.46 million a year.[1] However, following the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, coal and coke processing at the port seems to have mostly stopped. Prior to 2014, the port worked with 10 metallurgical enterprises, but after 2014, that number fell to just two.[2][3]
The 4,000 tonnes a day capacity is in line with the maximum throughput of 3.5 mtpa achieved in 1985. According to another source, the maximum throughput of all time was reached in 1989 at 2.8 mtpa.[4] However, it appears the throughput has been steadily decreasing since. The throughput for 2005 was 2.1 mtpa of cargo, 37.2% of which, 0.77 mtpa was coal.[5] 0.55 mtpa of coal was exported in 2009.[5]
After the Russian invasion in 2014, the types of cargo handled at the port shifted towards grain, metallurgical products, and porcelain clay. The handling of coal and coke has been greatly reduced, although the exact numbers remain unclear.[6]
In 2017, the head of Berdyansk Port was fired for numerous financial irregularities uncovered during audits, in particular allowing certain companies to use port facilities free of charge.[7]
In 2018, Russia completed construction of a bridge across the Kerch Strait, connecting Russia to Crimea via road. The Kerch Strait connects the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea, allowing ships from Berdyansk Port to reach international waters. The construction of the bridge limited the size of ships that could reach Berdyansk Port, leading to a significant decline in traffic: during September and October 2017, the port handled one third of the volume it had handled in those same months in 2016.[8] Russian ships have also intentionally delayed ships moving through the Kerch Strait to ports on the Sea of Azov, including Berdyansk Port. In some instances, ships have been delayed by up to six days by Russian authorities.[9]
In 2020, the Ukrainian government announced that it planned to construct a military base at the Berdyansk Port.[10]
In 2021, it was announced that a company Askett Shipping will take over the port and become its new owner, following financial troubles of the port.[11]
Almost from the beginning of Russia's invasion into Ukraine, Russia occupied the city of Berdyansk. Russians use the city as a military base and stolen Ukrainian grain is exported through the port of Berdyansk.[12]
As of May 2025, the Berdyansk Port remains under Russian occupation. Unified Institute of Spatial Planning of the Russian Federation (UISP) proposed modernization of the port to increase the port capacity by 40% by 2030, up to 2.4 mtpa.[13]
As of October 2025, reconstruction works on the port appear to have been ongoing.[14]
In the 11 months of 2025, the port handled 0.211 million tonnes of cargo.[15] The main cargo appears to be grain.[16][17] It is unclear if and in what amounts coal is being handled.
An investor to develop the port seems to have been determined by the Russian government, although the identity has not been publicized.[18]
Project Details
- Owner: Russian Federation[19]
- Parent:
- Location: Zaporozhye Region, Ukraine
- Total Terminal Capacity: 3.5 mtpa (before 2014),[13] 1.7 mtpa (2024)[13]
- Annual Coal Capacity (Tonnes): 1.46 million
- Status: Mothballed[15] (operating as a grain terminal by Russia)
- Type: Export, Import
- Sources of coal:
Resources
References
- ↑ "Berdyansk Sea Port," SIF Service, accessed Dec 2015
- ↑ Візитна картка відновленого Донбасу: “Неофициальный разговор” з Маріуполя, UATV, Oct. 30, 2021
- ↑ ЗВІТ ПРО УПРАВЛІННЯ за 2020 рік, Бердянський морський торговельний порт, 2020
- ↑ "Бердянский морской порт: недолгий расцвет на фоне смерти отрасли - 13.07.2022 Украина.ру". ukraina.ru. Retrieved 2026-09-14.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Под транзитным «углём» зрения". ports.ua. 2009.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Бердянский морской порт: недолгий расцвет на фоне смерти отрасли - 13.07.2022 Украина.ру". ukraina.ru. Retrieved 2026-09-14.
- ↑ Виконуючим обов’язки начальника ДП «Бердянський морський торговельний порт» призначено Богдана Бабця, Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Apr. 20, 2017
- ↑ Чому порти Азовського моря втрачають великі судна, Hromadske, Dec. 12, 2017
- ↑ Азовські порти України: поки працюють, але загроза блокування – велика, Ukrinform, May 13, 2021
- ↑ Безпека на Азові: ВМС України планують розмістити військову базу в Бердянську, Ukrinform, Mar. 18, 2020
- ↑ "Бердянський морський торговельний порт". wikipedia.org. unknown.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Як виглядає порт Бердянська після обстрілів (фото)". podrobnosti.ua. June 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 "Мощность морского порта Бердянск планируется увеличить на 40% — до 2,4 млн тонн к 2030 году". portnews.ru. Retrieved 2026-09-14.
- ↑ "Восстановление портов Мариуполь и Бердянск позволило увеличить их мощность до 5,9 млн тонн". portnews.ru. Retrieved 2026-09-14.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Общий грузооборот портов Мариуполь и Бердянск за 11 месяцев 2025 года достиг почти 475 тыс. тонн". portnews.ru. Retrieved 2026-09-14.
- ↑ "SOFIA". war-sanctions.gur.gov.ua. Retrieved 2026-09-14.
- ↑ "Власти создадут таможенный пункт в порту Запорожья. Как от этого изменятся экспорт и импорт региона". rbc.ru. 2025-01-17.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Инвестор порта Бердянска начнет работу в 2026 году". tass.ru. 2025-12-06.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Согласован список объектов морского порта Бердянск, планируемых к отнесению к федеральной собственности - Морские вести России". morvesti.ru. Retrieved 2026-09-15.
