Початковий етап будівництва Дунайського державного морського пароплавства (1944-1946 рр.)

The purpose of the study is to show the features of the initial stage of construction of the governmental shipping company on the Danube, which began at the final stage of World War II. The restoration of transport connections between Ukrainian territories and European Danube countries was strategically important: it contributed to the post-war recovery of the economy and the establishment of international relations between Ukrainian and European regions. The research methodology is based on the principles of objectivity and historicism when applying the methods of systemic, historical-genetic, comparative, sociological, content and quantitative analysis. The scientific novelty lies in the introduction into scientific area of new archival information and materials that allow us to reveal the economic aspects of the initial stage of the construction of the Danube State Shipping Company, to identify and analyses the features and complexities of this process. Conclusions. In 1944-1946, in the Ukrainian Danube region, in a fairly short time frame, the foundations of a powerful maritime complex were laid, which was called the "Danube State Shipping Company" (DSSC) (later the name was changed several times to SSSC, SSC, now UDC - author). This period was one of the most difficult in the life of shipping. Navigational difficulties, wear and tear of the fleet, weak port and ship repair facilities, catastrophic shortage of personnel - this is far from a complete list of problems that had to be solved at this stage. To the list should be added insufficient funding from the state, which took place on a residual basis, which in turn led to the formation of the fleet only at the expense of small and medium-sized cargo vessels. During the specified period, the Danube port economy developed more slowly compared to other industries. The secondary role of maritime transport in the post-war reconstruction is evidenced by the small volumes of investment. But, despite the enormous difficulties, the Danube State Shipping Company by the end of 1947 completely restored the main transport routes, provided trade, passenger transportation and support for industrialization in Ukraine and the countries of Eastern Europe.