Rosmorport, under the direction of Russian President Vladimir Putin, works to develop Russian maritime infrastructure and is behind the new Black Sea operation.
The company has purchased the former Royal Iris for about 11 million euro. The 764-passenger ship week-long sailings from Sochi with stops in Yalta, Novorossyisk and Sevastopol.
Despite a successful first season the company will lay up the 1971-built ship for the winter so she may undergo a substantial refurbishment ahead of her first cruise of 2018, which is scheduled for May.