Sea ports form an integral part of the international and national trading systems. They ensure about 60% of all passenger and cargo traffic.

The Transport Strategy of the Russian Federation for the period until 2030 and the Federal Target Programme for the Retrofitting of the Transport Infrastructure of the Russian Federation (2010-2015) provide expansion of the capacity of existing sea ports, range of port services and other.

In Russia, large sea ports are located in the Southern, Far-Eastern and North-Western basins. In 2009, export cargo handling in Russian ports increased by 11.9% and import cargoes decreased by 34.9%, comparing to 2008. Due to crude oil transit via Russian sea ports, the transit cargo transshipment increased by 14.5%.

River ports are present nearly in all large Russian cities located on navigable rivers. According to the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, there are 131 ports in 49 federal subjects, 15 of such ports being of international importance. In accordance with the law On River Ports of the Russian Federation, the federal subjects have the right to construct and develop own river ports. However, the regions will have to undertake the major part of maintenance expenditures related to the existing ports.