The article deals with the problem of Russian merchant shipping along the Manchurian Sungari River in the late 19th – early 20th centuries. Initially, private entrepreneurs-ship owners, Amur steamship companies and steamships of the CER Society took part in it, after the Russo-Japanese War in Manchuria, only ships of the CER Society remained to operate. The Russian railway in Manchuria became the most important factor in supporting Russian merchant shipping along the Songhua, since in the absence of access to the South Manchurian market, the river acted as a natural supply route to the CER. River trade in Manchuria allowed Russia to solve several strategic issues. Firstly, navigation along the Songhua River has always been considered by the Russian authorities to maintain their own influence in Northeast China. Secondly, the delivery of grain and livestock from the Manchurian cities made it possible to provide the Far Eastern periphery of Russia with provisions. The article studies in detail the listed features and stages of Russian navigation along the Songhua River, analyses the statistical data on cargo transportation on Russian steamships, and examines the main problems faced by river navigation in Manchuria. The study is based on little-studied materials from the Russian State Historical Archive. Copyright © 2023 by Cherkas Global University.