Murmansk seaport is one of the largest ice-free ports in Russia and forms the backbone of the economy of the city.

By the beginning of World War I, the only two Russian ports in the northwest were Arkhangelsk and St. Petersburg (later renamed Petrograd).

The chosen location was in Murmansk due to its ability to accommodate sea traffic year-round, proximity to existing communities and relative ease to connect it to the empire's expanding railway network.

The first planned work began in early July 1915 and, on September 1 of the same year the steamer "Drott" with a cargo from New York was able to moor to a temporary jetty port.

[7] The main goal was to create a powerful transport and trade infrastructure, attracting investment and ultimately social development.

In recent years, there has been a trend of repression of all other trading ports because of an increase in exports of coal and a number of other mineral resources, which only Murmansk has the necessary reception and storage infrastructure.

[citation needed] In the autumn of 2010, the Association of Commercial Seaports recognized Murmansk Port as the best Russian company to own the moorings and perform stevedoring work.

[citation needed] In February 2011, it was reported that the Gennady Timchenko group, one of the owners of the company Gunvor, had acquired Murmansk Commercial Seaport for $250 million.

[9] In February 2012, SUEK, the largest coal mining company in Russia, purchased 24.9% of voting shares in the Murmansk Port for at a purported cost of $260 million.

The port of Murmansk accounted for almost two-thirds of the total turnover, with approximately 51.7 million tons of goods shipped through its harbor.