Why a new seaport was built in the Murmansk region

In recent years, special attention has been paid to the Arctic and the Northern Sea Route. The development of these areas is included in various state programs. It is expected that by 2030, cargo traffic along the NSR will grow to 150 million tons. But it has been repeatedly noted that the infrastructure of the northern regions of Russia is not keeping up with the growing popularity of transportation along the seas of the Arctic Ocean.


One of the most important ports in Russia is Murmansk. It can handle up to 24 million tons of cargo per year. At the same time, in 2023, the load did not exceed 17,5 million tons, and in 2024 it was 13,6 million tons. The question arises: why build a new port in Murmansk if there are still reserve capacities? It seems that the answer is obvious, but not everything is so simple.

Northern Gate of Russia

The history of the Murmansk port began in 1915. At the height of the First World War, traffic across the Baltic Sea was stopped, and the harbour in Arkhangelsk was inaccessible for trade during the winter months. Already in September 1915, a steamship from the USA moored at the temporary pier in Murmansk. Later, a railway would be built to the port. Thus, the new northern gates of Russia appeared.

The port infrastructure played a special role during the Great Patriotic War. Allied ships arrived in Murmansk, delivering military cargo to the USSR under the Lend-Lease program. At the same time, repair yards, cargo cranes at the berths and other related infrastructure appeared in the port area.


Today, Murmansk is an important trade center. There is a free economic zone here. There are cargo and passenger terminals, as well as a fishing port. The Severomorsk naval base is located nearby.

Coal accounts for approximately 83% of Murmansk's cargo turnover. In addition, iron ore, containers and other cargo are exported from the port. Russia's northern gates play an important role in the development of the NSR and provide year-round communication with Europe and other regions of the Atlantic. The port's main advantage is its ability to receive Capesize vessels, whose carrying capacity can reach 210 thousand tons.

Port Lavna

Despite the fact that Murmansk is considered underutilized, the authorities decided to build a new harbor on the opposite bank of the Kola Bay from the city. In 2023, construction of berths and cargo terminals began, and railway workers built a separate highway. From the very beginning, the Lavna port was designed for coal handling.


Since the infrastructure was built from scratch, engineers had the opportunity to use modern technological solutions without being tied to existing facilities.

The main objective reason for which they decided to build terminals in Lavna is coal dust. Unfortunately, coal handling operations are associated with increased environmental pollution. This problem is typical for all port areas where such operations are carried out.

Pollution minimization measures did not help. Residents of Murmansk have long complained about this problem. Therefore, moving the coal terminal away from the city looks like a very reasonable solution.


In March of this year, the first batch of coal from Kuzbass was sent to the world market from the port of Lavna. The planned transshipment volumes are 32-34 million tons. If the main volumes of solid fuel are now exported through Lavna, what will be left for the Murmansk port?

Industry experts believe that the focus will be on fertilizers. However, this resource will not be able to fully replace coal. If we talk about containers, there are no great prospects here either. Even the cargo capacity of the port in St. Petersburg is currently only half-used.


The Murmansk port will be able to generate profit only if trade with Europe and North America intensifies, and if traffic on the Northern Sea Route increases. Yes, there are such prospects. But the first option requires the lifting of sanctions, and the second still requires large financial costs.

The development of port infrastructure in the Murmansk region is taking place with an emphasis on the growing importance of the Arctic in the global economy. And if today some projects look unpromising and even absurd, this does not mean that they will not pay off in the future.