ARKHANGELSK, May 26. /TASS/. The Mikhail Somov scientific expedition vessel departed on its first voyage in the current year. The flagship of the national hydrometeorology service's Northern Branch turns 50 this year, the authority's deputy leader Alexey Barakov, told TASS. The Mikhail Somov will deliver cargo to 21 polar stations.

"The first voyage began on May 23. The departure from Arkhangelsk was at 15:00 Moscow time. We have 21 destinations to where we will deliver cargo," he said.

The vessel will deliver cargo to polar stations in the White and Barents Seas. The voyage will continue for more than one month. The cargo is food, equipment, fuel and construction materials. The route's northernmost point will be the Malye Karmakuly station on the Yuzhny Island of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago. The easternmost destination is the Marresal station on the Yamal Peninsula. The voyage will be in two stages, as on June 9 the ship will return to Arkhangelsk for reloading.

During the voyage, the branch's specialists will carry out repairs, maintenance and inspection of meteorological, communications, computing and energy equipment, and will inspect stations that conduct offshore coastal observations. The vessel will deliver shift teams of polar explorers to a few stations.

Four artists from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Balashikha and Nizhny Novgorod on board the vessel will work on a creative expedition.

The Mikhail Somov will have three voyages in 2025. A solemn departure will be on the second voyage, due on July 8 - on that date 50 years ago an ensign was flown on the vessel. "This will be a big event, along with other events in honor of the 500th anniversary of the Northern Sea Route," the authority's representative added. The Mikhail Somov will wrap up this year's navigation in early November.