FRANZ JOSEF LAND, July 2. /TASS/. The Arctic Floating University expedition reached Franz Josef Land, a TASS correspondent reported from aboard the Professor Molchanov research vessel. The expedition is unable to start ground work due to strong northerly winds and sea waves. The ship remains south of the Mabel Island.

"The wind now is blowing directly from the shore, wind gusts reach 24 meters per second. We wanted to go ashore on the Northbrook Island, but the vessel was blown off the anchor at [wind of] 25 meters per second," First Mate Igor Plakhin told TASS. "Here we are still holding the anchor, waiting until lunch, and then we'll see."

The air temperature at Franz Josef Land is about zero, it is sunny, some ice floes are scattered across the sea, and we can see snow here and there on the islands.

The expedition's deputy leader Dmitry Kovalev told TASS work ashore would begin when the wind calms down. "At 5-6 meters per second, we may go ashore. The forecast promises a significant decrease in wind speed by Thursday morning. The wind will change to the northeast, will get weaker and will change to the east," he explained.

The Arctic Floating University is not only about research. It is also an educational project. Research onboard is underway, as well as a lecture program.

Arctic Floating University - 2024

On June 25, the Arctic Floating University departed from Arkhangelsk to conduct research in the White and Barents Seas, on the Kolguev Island, on islands of Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land.

The project's partners and sponsors are the Arkhangelsk Region's government, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the Russian Geographical Society, VTB Bank, Norilsk Nickel, Roshydromet (the hydrometeorology service), the Russian Arctic National Park, the Floating University Coordination Center at MIPT (Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology; also known as PhysTech), the Nauka (Science) year-round youth educational center.