Sea Bridge ferry returns to Trabzon after denied entry to Sochi port
The Sea Bridge ferry, making its first voyage from Türkiye to Sochi since 2011 but denied permission to enter the Russian port, has docked at Trabzon Harbor, Mustafa Cakir, a representative of the Turkish company Liderline, which operates the ferry, said.
“The ferry arrived and docked without any issues. Passengers will disembark after clearing customs. We are currently processing tickets for their journey to their final destination,” the company’s source added, according to News.Az, citing TASS.
The Sea Bridge ferry departed Trabzon on November 5 and reached Sochi on the morning of November 6, awaiting approval to enter the port. There were 20 passengers on board, including two Turkish and 18 Russian citizens.
The vessel completed a test voyage but was turned back due to safety concerns. Krasnodar Krai Governor Veniamin Kondratyev stated that it was not yet possible to carry out the necessary procedures at the port of Sochi, emphasizing that the priority was ensuring the safety of vacationers.
Ferry service between Sochi and Trabzon was planned to resume after 14 years. Ships previously operated on this route from 1993 to 2011.
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