After more than ten postponements, the long-awaited Trabzon–Sochi ferry is finally preparing to launch. According to Vessel Finder, the ferry SEABRIDGE arrived at the port of Trabzon on November 3 and is now making final preparations for departure.

Sergey Turkmenyan, CEO of SVS Shipping, the company operating the route, said the vessel is scheduled to depart Trabzon on the evening of November 5 around 8:00 p.m. and arrive in Sochi at approximately 8:00 a.m. on November 6.

The first voyage will carry only passengers, without vehicles, following concerns from Russian authorities over the inability to conduct thorough inspections of incoming cars.

Ticket prices start at 6,500 rubles for a standard seat and 9,500 rubles for a shared four-person cabin. According to travelers, tickets sold directly at the Turkish port cost about $70 for two seats or $120 for a cabin.

Once operations stabilize, the ferry is expected to run four times a week — departing Trabzon on Wednesdays and Saturdays and Sochi on Thursdays and Sundays. The SEABRIDGE can carry up to 450 passengers and more than 220 vehicles, though cars will remain onshore until inspection procedures are approved.

Earlier this year, a test voyage made without official coordination with Sochi Port caused controversy, prompting Krasnodar Region Governor Veniamin Kondratyev to label the route’s opening “unsafe, premature, and not aligned with infrastructure readiness.”

Despite these challenges, the ferry’s launch could mark a new chapter in reviving direct maritime links between Russia and Turkey, a move expected to benefit both tourists and logistics operators.