A 1981 Soviet collectible postcard showcasing the Odessa Marine Station, one of the primary passenger hubs of the Black Sea Shipping Company.
What is shown on the postcard
The image depicts the modernist glazed building of the Marine Station featuring the sign “МОРСКОЙ ВОКЗАЛ” on its roof line. Below it, a Soviet propaganda banner reads “Решения XXVI съезда КПСС выполним!” (We shall implement the decisions of the 26th Congress of the CPSU!). A vehicle and pedestrian overpass ramp leads to the terminal, featuring buses and pedestrians. On the left, a multi-deck white passenger ship is docked, with yellow GANZ portal cranes and the harbor bay visible in the background.
Historical note
The Odessa Marine Station complex on the New Mole was completed in 1968 under the design of architects V. Golovin and V. Pisanko. It served as a major maritime gateway on the Black Sea, engineered to handle large passenger liners. By 1981, it actively operated both domestic Crimean-Caucasian routes and international cruise lines.
Present day
In subsequent decades, the complex underwent changes, including the construction of the high-rise Hotel Odesa behind the terminal in the late 1990s and early 2000s, which altered the historic waterfront skyline. During hostilities in 2023, the Marine Station building sustained severe damage due to a missile strike.
Location (map)
Address: 6 Prymorska St, Odesa, Odesa Oblast, Ukraine, 65026
Coordinates: 46.490100, 30.744800
(Google Maps)
Coordinate source: Coordinates of the Odessa Marine Station building.
Questions and answers
- What event is mentioned on the building banner? The banner carries a slogan dedicated to fulfilling the decisions of the 26th Congress of the CPSU, which took place in early 1981.
- What type of cranes are visible in the background? Yellow portal cranes of Hungarian manufacture under the GANZ brand are visible behind the passenger liner.
- What ship is docked next to the terminal? A large multi-deck Soviet passenger ship is docked, which operated scheduled or cruise voyages in the Black Sea.
See also
The «Old Postcards» archive includes other views of Odesa from 1981.
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