Orest Sychenikov, First Head of Novorossiysk Shipping Company, Passed Away

 

On 9 October 2017, we lost a highly educated man, a talented leader who made a massive contribution to the strengthening and development of Russian maritime navigation. 

 

Orest Sychenikov was born on 28 June 1922. In 1941, he was called up to the Red Army to fight in the Second World War, during which was seriously wounded in 1943. Following demobilization in September 1945, Orest was accepted into the Department of Marine Engineering at the Odessa Institute of Marine Fleet Engineers.

 

After graduation, Orest found employment as engineer at Tuapse Shipyard, later he became Director of Technical School No. 1 in the city. This was followed by stints as the Head of the Department for Industry and Transport and then Second and First Secretary of the Tuapse City Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. In September 1961, he was elected Secretary and member of the Krasnodar Region Committee Bureau of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. In 1963, he was appointed First Secretary of the Novorossiysk City Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.      

 

In May 1964, the USSR  Minister of Merchant Marine issued a decree appointing Orest Sychenikov Head of the tanker branch of the Black Sea Shipping Company, which had been relocated from Odessa to Novorossiysk.  

 

In 1967, Novorossiysk Shipping Company was established on its basis. Orest Sychenikov became the company’s first Head, a post he would hold for ten years. His name is synonymous with the emergence of one of the largest shipping companies in Russia and the flagship of the Soviet and Russian tanker fleet. 

 

Orest Sychenikov made an invaluable contribution to the development of the Hero City of Novorossiysk, the Black Sea Region as a whole and Russian maritime education. He brought together all the necessary elements for the successful operation of the shipping company: the ports of Novorossiysk, Tuapse and Sochi, the Novorossiysk and Tuapse shipyards and the port stations in Anapa and Gelendzhik. It is thanks to Orest Sychenikov that Novorossiysk was transformed into an industrial maritime city, ‘the forge of staff resources’ for the industry: the Novorossiysk School of Maritime Navigation (the top school of its kind in the country) and the Higher College of Marine Engineering (now the Admiral Ushakov Maritime State University) were both set up, and the fleet’s coastal infrastructure and maintenance depot, as well as the Sheskharis oil district, all appeared.        

 

In 1977, Orest Sychenikov was elected Chairman of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the Trade Union of the Maritime and River Fleet Workers in Moscow and left Novorossiysk. 

 

Orest Sychenikov is, without exaggeration, a true legend of the Russian and Soviet maritime community. His military achievements and illustrious career are marked by numerous state awards, including: the Order of Lenin, the Order of the Red Banner of Labour, the Order of the October Revolution, the Order of the Patriotic War (first degree), the Order of Friendship of Peoples, the Medal ‘For Battle Merit’ and the Medal for ‘For the Defence of the Caucasus.’ Orest Sychenikov held the title of Veteran of Labour, Honoured Transport Worker of the RSFSR, Honoured Worker of the Marine Fleet and Honorary Citizen of Novorossiysk. In 2017, he was awarded the title of Labour Name of Krasnodar Region.     

 

Everyone who knew and worked with Orest Sychenikov noted without exception his undying devotion to his work and his country, his exceptional decency, determination and motivation, as well as his attentive and caring attitude towards people.  

 

The management, staff, captains and crew members at Sovcomflot all express their sincerest condolences to Orest Sychenikov’ relatives, friends and colleagues. 

 

The wonderful memory of this brilliant man will forever remain in our hearts.