Port of St. Petersburg is the largest port in North-West Russia. Located in the Neva Bay Gulf.

The main sea route port consists of a large ship channel, the Kronstadt naval fairway and the St. Petersburg Maritime Channel with a total length of the western border area to the inner part of the port within 33 miles.

The area of the port of St. Petersburg is about 629.9 square km’s. The port has 200 berths c length of the mooring line of about 31 km.

Kronstadt Ship channel passes through the navigation pass P-1 complex of structures protecting St. Petersburg from flooding. To the west of the C-1, it has a width of 150m. depths of 14 to 16 m, east of S-1 channel has a width of 80 to 100 m with a depth of between 11.8 to 14m.

Port is open for ships all year round. Normal business hours at the port as the time from 8.30 to 17.00, except for weekends and holidays. Holidays are the days declared by the State. Loading and unloading operations are carried around the clock, weekends and holidays, except for recess from 20.00 to 24.00 31 December 01 January. Navigation does not stop all year round. In winter, ice conditions, pilotage by icebreakers.

In the Port, in accordance with a license to manufacture cargo handling, cargo operations carried out 25 stevedore companies and also work about 30 bunker companies, 8 of which operate their own fleet. Bunkering is carried out in accordance with measures to ensure fire safety bunker fuel court agreed with the Inspectorate of the port state control. Bunkering vessels engaged in cargo operations with dangerous goods is prohibited.

Port and auxiliary fleet of over 470 vessels, of which 122 tug, 13 breakers, 66 tankers, etc

Berths are equipped with all necessary handling equipment. Most of the berths can accommodate vessels with a draft of 9.8 meters, however the port has berths, which can be handled by ships of up to 11 meters and up to 320 meters.

The port accepts vessels with dimensions not exceeding any of the following options:
• length - up to 320 m;
• width - up to 42 m;
• deposit - up to 11 m (for freshwater).

The entrance to the port and exit from the port of vessels with dimensions that exceed the above is possible only with the written permission of the Harbour.

Currently, the Sea Canal, which connects St. Petersburg to the Gulf of Finland, has the following characteristics: a width of 80-150 m, and the spread of depths - 11,6-14,8 m. The first phase of reconstruction in 2006 - 2008 deepen the waterway to the 2 meter and extend a half times, and it can take vessels up to 12.5 m. As a result of dredging works on the second phase of reconstruction 2008 - 2012 gg continuous precipitation has increased to 13 m.

Port of St. Petersburg handles containers, vehicles and machinery, metal pipes, heavyweights and long measures, timber, coal, grain and many other goods. Vessels calling at the port of St. Petersburg, can replenish the supply of fresh water and fuel, repair of any complexity, to buy provisions and objects of procurement. Port can provide a supply of electricity on board, installing local telephone numbers on-board or on the quay, to arrange to carry the additional fire watch or guard, medical crew.

Port of St. Petersburg "includes raids, terminals, warehouses, piers, leased stevedoring companies within the harbor and adjacent waters as defined by federal and regional legislation.

In accordance with the federal target program "State Border" port is equipped with inspection-ray inspection systems (IIR), which allows for 3-5 minutes to get the X-ray images to identify the goods and provides an opportunity to inspect up to 20 containers per hour, to unify customs clearance with other countries. Port Complex of St. Petersburg - a modern system that provides customers and users of services for handling and transporting goods to the world standards.

The list of services offered by operating companies:

• loading / unloading of vehicles;
• receipt / delivery of goods;
• control the number and condition of the goods;
• storage.

Additional services (work) related to cargo handling:

• weighing, inspection, part, repackaging, labeling and sorting of goods;
• additional and special fastening cargo on ships;
• development projects Stowage and oversized, overweight, non-standard, hazardous and other cargo on vehicles;
• provision of infrastructure for berthing, do not carry cargo operations;
• mooring;
• the provision of handling equipment;
• Dry cleaning of cargo holds of the ship;
• stowage of cargo on board;
• forwarding services;
• approval of applications for transportation of imported goods by rail;
• registration of bills of lading and cargo manifests.

With courtesy of www.pasp.ru