VLADIVOSTOK, February 4 (Itar-Tass) – The Russian sailing ship Sedov that is on its first round-the-globe voyage on Monday left the Russian Far Eastern port of Vladivostok to continue her voyage. Her next stopovers will be in South Korea’s Busan, Japan’s Nagasaki, China’s Hong Kong, Singapore, Mauritius’ Port Louis, South Africa’s Cape Town, and others.
According to the Sedov captain, Nikolai Zorchenko, the most difficult part of the voyage is already over. “Now the bearque will be sailing from winter to summer,” he said.
The Sedov called at Vladivostok, the first Russian port in the past eight months of her voyage, on February 28. A new team of students of Russian naval schools joined the crew here. The ship replenished her fuel, food and drinking water reserves.
Apart from that, musicians from the popular Russian band Mumiy Troll came onboard the ship. They plan to record their new album while the ship is sailing to Asia and Africa.
Originally, the barque was to call at Vladivostok on February 25 to bring the Torch of Universiade-2013, but she was delayed by a storm. In order not to frustrate the Torch relay ceremony, the ship had to call at South Korea’s Busan, from where the Universiade-2013 Torch was taken to Vladivostok by plane.
When the Sedov finally reached Vladivostok, she was open for general public for two days. In all, more than 10,000 people visited the barque over the weekend.
The barque set sail from Russia's St. Petersburg on May 20 for the first round-the-world voyage in its 90 year's history. The voyage is dedicated to the 1,150th anniversary of Russian statehood and memorable dates in the history of Russian geographical discoveries. In 14 months, the barque will cover over 44,000 nautical miles and will call at more than 30 foreign ports in Europe, South and North Americas, Asia, and Africa. The round-the-world voyage will end in July 2013, when The Sedov returns to St. Petersburg.
The Sedov barque, originally named the Magdalene Vinnen II, was launched in Kiel in 1921 at the Friedrich Krupp Germaniwrft. She was used as a cargo ship voyaging from Europe to South America, Australia, South East Asia and Oceania. In 1936, the Magdalene Vinnen II was sold to Norddeutscher Lloyd, Bremen and renamed the Kommodore Johnsen. The new owner modified it to a cargo-carrying training ship, and apart from its permanent crew, the ship was to have 50 to 60 trainee officers aboard on each journey. She came under Russian state ownership after the surrender of Germany, on December 20, 1945, when the British handed over the ship to the Soviet Union as war reparation. In the Soviet Union, she was converted into a sail training vessel of the Soviet Navy. Renamed the Sedov after the Arctic explorer Georgy Sedov who died during an Arctic expedition in 1914.
Today, The Sedov is a sail training vessel, training cadets from the universities of Murmansk, St. Petersburg, and Arkhangelsk. She participates regularly in the big maritime international events as a privileged host and has also been a regular participant in The Tall Ships' Races.
The barque has been entered into the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest traditional sailing ship in operation. The 117.5-meter-long ship has sails of more than 4,000 square meters in area. She holds the official world sailing ship's speed record - 12.6 knots.