The article examines the process of formation of the future Salekhard river port, starting from the moment of formation of the operational site there until the end of the 1960s, when the active urbanization of YaNAO began. Extremely specific features of the functioning of river transport in the circumpolar regions are described. The role of the Salekhard operational site as one of the logistics centers of YANAO, as well as an important transit point for the transfer of river vessels to the Ob-Irtysh basin through the Northern Sea Route is noted. The dynamics of cargo turnover is given, indicating the steady economic growth achieved by YaNAO in the 1950s and 1960s. There are also similar statistics on the work of the river fleet in the Gulf of Ob. The interdepartmental interaction of river transport with its customers from other sectors of the economy is reflected. The analysis of the personnel shows that, despite the fluidity characteristic of river enterprises of that time, they reflect the size of the enterprise and, together with the dynamics of cargo turnover, allow us to reflect the scale of the work done on the construction of a gas production complex in the north of Western Siberia. As a result, we can say that in the period of the 1950s and 1960s, river transport successfully fulfilled its functions of supplying the northern regions with goods necessary for the economic revival of the district.