Restricted shipping in the Sea of Azov, sanctions against Russian companies, challenging weather conditions – the year of 2022 was not easy for the Azov-Don basin of inland waterways. However, it is still a promising region for building up the cargo base. The construction of the Bagaevsky hydrosystem continues on the Don river, and year-round shipping through the basin towards the Caspian and the Azov seas will be launched the future.