Russia’s Port Port of Nakhodka

The Port of Nakhodka is located at the head of Nakhodka Bay on the Sea of Japan, in Russia’s extreme southeast. The present-day Port was built in the early 1980s. This upstart postwar USSR’s port has formed out of a large natural basin, some 160 km SE from the city Vladivostok, to compete for Pacific supremacy with its century-old rival, the Port of Vladivostok.

Nakhodka is justifiably called ‘Russia’s East Gate to the Pacific.’ The Port of Nakhodka features seven terminals with piers capable of berthing large-hulled container ships. Besides, Nakhodka is a major export center on Russia’s Pacific Coast and a home for a fishing fleet, passenger terminal, and a ferry connecting Nakhodka with the Japanese port of Yokohama.

Port History

Exploring the southern shores of the Far East in the mid-19th century was crucial to Russia’s acquisition of new territories and building diplomatic connections with bordering East Asian countries. Those were the times of remarkable geographical accomplishments when the Russian steam corvette America discovered Nakhodka Bay on June 18, 1859. The ice-free gulf was given the name ‘Nakhodka’, translated as ‘discovery’ or ‘fortunate find.’ From 1868 until 1872, there was an imperial settlement there but was abandoned after the death of the administrator.

It was not until the early 20th century that the area was settled with the foundation of a small fishing village in 1907.

The Soviet Union started construction of a harbor on the Nakhodka Bay in the 1930s, with various communities springing up as a result. In the 1940s, the communities were merged to form a work settlement. In the 1950s, Japanese POWs were forced to build housing and community centers for the workers of a new port.

Nakhodka, with a population of around 28 thousand people at that time, was granted town status in 1950. At about the same time, the Soviet government ordered the use of Vladivostok for the base of the Russian Pacific Fleet and closed the Port of Vladivostok for international shipping and any business operations because of its significant military importance. When Vladivostok was closed for business, Nakhodka was the sole Far Eastern port of Russia open for operations, triggering the town’s rapid development. The Port of Nakhodka enjoyed its heyday in the 1970s and 1980s due to significant government investments in the port infrastructure.

The Port of Vladivostok reopened for foreign trade in 1991, and Nakhodka suffered as a result since the town’s economy was heavily reliant on port-related trade.

Nakhodka still remains a major transportation center for goods coming from Japan for further transfer to inland Russia and Europe by the Russian railway system.

In June 2019, the city of Nakhodka marked its 160th anniversary. Such a significant commemoration has helped to bring research into the Far Eastern town’s historical legacy and emphasize the need of studying and popularizing the region’s maritime history.

The Port of Nakhodka was recently designated as a free economic zone. The local government of Nakhodka is hopeful to attract foreign investment in the city with business and tax incentives.

General Description and Contact Info

Port Location: Nakhodka, Primorsk Region, Russia

UN/LOCODE: RUNJK

Latitude: 42° 48′ 0″ N

Longitude: 132° 53′ 16″ E

Corporate Office: 22 Portovaya St, Nakhodka, Primorsk Region 692900, Russia

Phone: 4236 67-98-00

Web Site: www.ncsp.ru

Email: ncsp@ncsp.ru

Nakhodka’s Commerce: Business Profile, Operations, Size, Capacity, Turnover

The Port of Nakhodka is located in Primorsk Region, on Russia’s southeast coast of the Pacific. The Port is one of Russia’s most important hubs for coal exports to APAC. Nakhodka is also one of the leading stevedores of Russia’s Far East. By the end of 2016, the Port handled a total of around 10 million tons per annum (mtpa). The Port’s capacity allows for the daily unloading/uploading of up to 500 freight cars of various cargo. The total value of Nakhodka’s port assets was around USD 50 million as of December 31, 2016, with a net profit of USD 44.5 million.

The Nakhodka Commercial Sea Port JSC is the port authority of the Port of Nakhodka.

The Port of Nakhodka at a glance

The Nakhodka Port comprises 22 berths with a total quay length of 3.5 km for mooring ships of various classes and sizes. The Port processes general and bulk cargoes, cement, building materials, rolled metal products, grain, ore, timber, and potash fertilizer, among other commodities. Oil and oil products are processed at the Oil Harbor located in Novitsky Bay, east of Nakhodka. The berths range in depth from 10 to 13 m. 10.4 m is the maximum draught. The deadweight limit is 115,674 tons. The winter season runs from Dec 1 to Feb 28/29. From Mar 1 to Nov 30, is the summer zone.

At present, there are seven operating coal terminals at the Port of Nakhodka. In 2019, Nakhodka’s terminals handled a combined total of 16.2 mtpa of coal. The major terminal is the Nakhodka Commercial Sea Port with an estimated capacity of 12 mtpa. Terminals Astafiev, Dalmormontazh, and Attis are the other big terminals of the Port, each handling more than 1 mtpa of bulk coal. The three remaining terminals are small-size facilities, handling a few hundred thousand tons of coal each year.

The Port of Nakhodka is a multi-purpose cargo seaport with berths that can accommodate a variety of cargo ships. Vessels that call at Nakhodka on a regular basis include general cargo ships (34 percent), bulk carrier ships (33 percent), oil/chemical tankers (8 percent), oil products tankers (6 percent), and fishing vessels (4 percent). Nakhodka is able to provide service to at least 20 ships at once and process more than 1,500 large-capacity vessels per year. Upgrades of the Port infrastructure, which included improvement of storm sewers, dredging, and berth modifications, commenced in 2012 and enabled Nakhodka to accept Panamax class ships. In 2015, Nakhodka became a port of call for a Panamax-class ship for the first time.

The majority of exports moved through Nakhodka are destined to Asia. The companies Suek, Kuzbassrazrezugol, Stroiservis Inc., Mechel, and Gunvor Group are all contractual partners of the Port of Nakhodka.

Nakhodka opened a new maritime passenger terminal in 1992. The three-story structure covers a total area of 11.1 thousand sq. m and has two berths with a total quay length of 325 m and a depth of 10 m. The new Nakhodka passenger terminal has a daily handling capacity of 500 passengers. It offers cruise liner services as well as regular passenger services to Hong Kong, Yokohama, and Singapore.

In February 2018, the Port committed to switching to entirely enclosed coal-handling operations to reduce coal dust blown into the surrounding areas from the Port. As of May 2021, work on sheds to enclose bulk coal storage domes was still going on.

Advantages of Shipping with the Port of Nakhodka

The Port of Nakhodka is particularly important in Russian-APR relations because of its favorable geographic, economic, and climatic location. The Far East is home to some of the world’s most precious materials, including oil, gas, coal, gold, diamonds, and polymetals. The availability of natural resources provides a strong foundation for the development of new industries and initiatives. The Port of Nakhodka is dedicated to growing and extending global trade while also boosting the local economy by providing customers and partners with competitive advantages.

Here are the main benefits to consider when choosing the Port of Nakhodka for business:

Preferences in terms of taxation and administration.
Proximity to the APAC markets, as well as a favorable geographic and climatic location. Nakhodka is strategically placed at a crossroads of the busiest international shipping lines and railway corridors. The majority of Nakhodka’s exports are bound for Asian destinations. Oceanic influences, humid continental climate, and the Port’s southerly location allow for year-round navigation: even in the harshest winters, it remains ice-free.
Profitable logistics. There are many freight forwarders and logistics businesses offering their services at the Port of Nakhodka.
Infrastructure support and institutional system in place for the implementation of investment projects.
The efficiency of rail shipping. The Port’s competitive edge also comes from its well-developed rail system, allowing to transport freight further to inland Russia and Europe. The Trans-Siberian Railway connects the Nakhodka coal terminal with the most important coal mining businesses of Russia.
Tourism potential. A new passenger terminal serving cruise traffic and providing regular ferry service was put into operation in 1992.

Prices, Fees, and Tariffs at the Port of Nakhodka

The list of tariffs, rates, and harbor dues collected in Russia’s seaports, including Nakhodka Port, is approved, reviewed, and updated by Mintrans, the Russian Federation’s Ministry of Transport.

Freight forwarders’ rates at the Port of Nakhodka are determined by a variety of factors, including distance, product weight and size, cargo classification, points of pickup and delivery, urgency, and temperature requirements.

Visit the official website of Rosmorport for up-to-date domestic and international shipping rates, including navigation dues, canal dues, lighthouse dues, pilotage dues, ice-breaking dues, ecological dues, and investment dues at the Port of Nakhodka.

If you want to minimize shipping costs while enhancing overall operational efficiency in Russia, and in Nakhodka including, call CREDO TRANS today. We can help you ship an FCL or LCL container from or to Nakhodka at the best possible rate.

Top Shipping Routes To/From the Port of Nakhodka

China, South Korea, and Japan are the primary export destinations of the Port of Nakhodka, followed by Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, and India. The Republic of India is among the new promising destinations interested in Russia’s bulk coal.

In 2020, China became a top destination of Russian exports through Nakhodka as well as the major supplier of imports to the Russian Federation. The commerce between Russia and China reached a new high of $140 bln in 2021, with the ports of Nakhodka, Vladivostok, and Vostochny serving as major transshipment points. Cross-border e-commerce cooperation between the two nations has progressed rapidly in recent years, with warehouses and e-commerce platforms being built in Russia’s Far Eastern ports to contribute to the continued growth of bilateral trade at a steady pace. In September 2021, China imported approx. 3.7 mln tons of thermal coal, the major fuel to generate electric power, via Russia’s major Pacific coast’s coal transshipment ports, Nakhodka and Vostochny.

In 1992, Nakhodka opened a new maritime passenger terminal, allowing for smooth passenger flow and regular passenger services to Yokohama in Japan, as well to Hong Kong and Singapore.

Through the Nakhodka-Vostochnaya rail terminal, the Port is connected to the Trans-Siberian Railway (TSR), which together with other ports on Russia’s Pacific coast, forms a unique mega-bridge between Europe and Asia. Nakhodka is the nation’s vital transportation hub where commodities from Japan are moved from vessels to Russian railways, utilizing the TSR section of the Eurasian Land-Bridge.

Top Reasons to Choose CREDO TRANS for Transport and Logistics at the Port of Nakhodka

We understand you want to continue growing your business in the Port of Nakhodka, so you need a partner that has the services, manpower and drive to grow right along with you. CREDO TRANS is your company of a choice. Our team has business relationships in place with Nakodka’s port officials, shipping lines, trucking companies, rail depots, and other important links in the supply chain.

Here are top reasons to trust CREDO TRANS with your shipping needs in the Port of Nakhodka:

Experience and demonstrated success. Our logistics team has a proven record of success—over 13 years of experience in the transportation and warehousing industries, serving customers from a variety of sectors in Russia and worldwide.

Winning business partnership with major Russian ports. Through our representative offices, we use the infrastructure of all Russia’s busiest ports, including the Port of Nakhodka, to transfer marine freight on 57 routes.

Support to Russian and international businesses. CREDO TRANS offers digitally-enabled freight-forwarding and logistics services to help our clients succeed in competitive markets. CREDO TRANS contributed greatly in linking Russian businesses with global markets and making supply chains customer-centric. According to CREDO TRANS’s experts, Nakhodka has significant economic potential in terms of transportation and logistics and should be used as a hub for future expansion and success in Russia.

CREDO TRANS is a full-service logistics business. We have established dozens of logistics services and offer unique solutions in the Port of Nakhodka. CREDO TRANS excels at coordinating shipments and providing full services such as e-commerce order fulfillment, case and/or individual picking, overnight shipping, direct delivery, and repackaging.

Coordination with customs clearance. We have the knowledge and experience to make your customs clearance in Nakhodka hassle-free and fast.

The rest of the world is just a short hop away with CREDO TRANS.