Russian authorities are considering the possibility of resuming international cruise routes via the Azov Sea, based on government documents cited by the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.
The documents reportedly state that international cruises through the Azov Sea could be restored. One of the routes previously in operation was the Mariupol–Batumi cruise. The documents note that if a passenger terminal is rebuilt or newly constructed, the resumption of this route would also be possible.
Russian state media also report that the cruise ship Mustai Karim could potentially be used to operate such routes.
Based on the documents, eight ports are located in the Azov Sea basin: Mariupol, Yeysk, Kavkaz, Temryuk, Berdiansk, Azov, Rostov-on-Don, and Taganrog. However, the documents specify that only Taganrog currently has a specialized passenger terminal capable of receiving cruise ships, while the ports of Yeysk and Mariupol have “lost” the ability to accommodate such vessels.
Mariupol is a Ukrainian city that was occupied and later annexed by Russia in the course of the ongoing war against Ukraine. The city is home to the Azovstal steelworks, which became a symbol of resistance during the early months of the invasion, when fighters of the Azov Battalion and other Ukrainian servicemen defended the facility while it was under siege for several months.
Image source: Netgazeti
