Interview of KSTU rector Vladimir Volkogon to RIA Novosti about the upcoming circumnavigation

The Kruzenshtern and Sedov are administered by the Baltic State Academy of Fishing fleet, which is part of the Kaliningrad State Technical University. The round-the-world expedition of the sailing vessels Sedov, Pallada and Krusenstern, dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the discovery of Antarctica and the 75th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War is starting in November. On the first of November, Pallada is leaving Vladivostok, in December, the Sedov and Kruzenshtern are departing from Kaliningrad. From November 2019 to December 2020, the barque Sedov and the frigate Pallada are carring out round - the-world expeditions, and the bark Kruzenshtern is making a transatlantic crossing.

— Mr Volkogon, could the expedition be regarded as a historical event? Have there recently been any joint projects of three huge sailing vessels undertaking such an ambitious voyage?

— It is the first time when three training sailing vessels of Rosrybolovstvo are having a joint expedition under one slogan. The missions of the project are to declare the importance of the sixth continent discovery by the Russian seafarers and to remind mankind of a contribution of our country to fascism destruction in the year of the 75 anniversary of the Great Victory. Our three sailing vessels should demonstrate to the whole world the spirit, strength, fortitude, humane thoughts, courage and maritime skills of today's Russian youth, who have not lost these qualities over the past two centuries.

— The Kruzenshtern has long been associated with Kaliningrad, she became city's symbol. In 2017 you have added another legendary ship (the barque Sedov) to your pool. What was her condition on arrival? How did she enter the new university?


—  In 2021, the Sedov (the largest civilian training sailing vessel) will turn 100 years old. I am sure that we will celebrate this jubilee in decent manner, pay tribute to the sailing vessel and to all generations of seafarers and shipbuilders who have preserved this masterpiece for us. We were instructed to take operational control of the Sedov in spring of 2017. The technical condition of main engine and hull was poor. In 2016, the sailing vessel made just one voyage, the navigation of 2017 was at risk. We used all the experience in maintenance and repair works to do her up and already in 2017 we conducted two training voyages, and in 2018 and 2019 she was working for whole navigational seasons.

 This year we answered an appeal of the government of the Murmansk region and the Sedov called at her former home port — the capital of the Russian Arctic. For the first time the cadets from the Murmansk State Technical University got a great opportunity to take sea practice on her board and to make sure that the barque was in good hands.

Of course, the technical condition of both the Sedov and Krusenstern is determined by their respectable age. These are unique sailing ships, they might be called "Maritime museums". The Soviet Union received them from defeated Germany at the end of World War II as reparations. They were in deplorable state after WWII but Soviet shipbuilders and seafarers put them right. This is the main difference from the 30-year-old Pallada, assigned to Vladivostok. The Pallada is a relatively young vessel, which has made several circumnavigations and keeps on taking part in all regattas and sea holidays of the Far Eastern basin.

The Kruzenshtern is perhaps one of the most famous barques in the world, she has turned 93. Her record includes victories in prestigious regattas, successful circumnavigations, transatlantic expeditions, participation in humanitarian and public projects, support of the Olympic movement during the Winter Games in Vancouver and Sochi.

Thanks to the funding allocated by the government of the Russian Federation the vessels were brought to perfect technical condition, new generation equipment has also been installed on board.

— Please tell us about the repair program. Is everything going according to plan? Have any long-standing problems been resolved?

— Such complex repairs have not been carried out on our ships for more than 30 years. This was only possible thanks to the help of the Russian government, which supported the initiative of the Russian Federal Agency for Fisheries in the person of the Minister Ilya Shestakov, by the way the expedition was also his idea. And on his initiative we decided to combine the expedition with the second stage of the campaign in other sailing areas - in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Victory.

Due to the long sailing period we had to enable safety of navigation. Rosrybolovstvo has done a great job on troubleshooting of the vessels, and eliminating of current problems. And autumn of 2018, the necessary funds were allocated, and repairs were started. They are are being carried out to the present moment. All three sailing ships are in very good technical condition now.

— Will we see the vessels before their departure?

— The ships are being inspected by Russian Maritime register. They can put to sea upon the inspection. We expect the vessels will have finished all repair work and formalities by the beginning of December. They will put to sea in the first decade of December. There is no exact date... We are waiting for special guests and all those who put their effort and experience to make our plans come true. After all, this is an extraordinary event at the national level, and public interest in the expedition is very high. The expedition will certainly make it into the history of the new Russia. The frigate Pallada is leaving port of Vladivostok on November 1. She is proceeding to the agreed point of the South Atlantic.

— What about educational institutions delegating their cadets for sea practice? What is the key task of the practice?

— No matter how significant this project is, the main thing in is still cadets' sea practice. This time we are hosting not only Rosrybolovstvo institutions' cadets on board of the Kruzenshtern and the Sedov but also cadets from the institutions of the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Education of Russia. There are also going to be shipboys and cadets from public and youth organizations on board. The expedition will allow cadets to practice in accordance with the programs of their educational institutions, to gain sea experience and get their first marine profession.

— Has the detailed voyage program been approved? Will there be many foreign ports of call?

— The draft routes have been approved at the meeting of the organizing Committee chaired by the Minister of agriculture of the Russian Federation Dmitry Patrushev. The list of ports of call is large: The Kruzenshtern will call at 22 ports, the Sedov at -19 ports. A program of events and visits to must-see places has been elaborated for each port call. There are traditional, classic points of circumnavigations in the list, but there are going to be absolutely new passages and places. The new points are Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Panama canal for the Sedov and the port of Bizerte (Tunisia) for the Kruzenshtern. It was added to the list by the initiative of public organizations. They wanted us to visit the place of last deployment of the Russian squadron. The Sedov is going to finish the expedition in December 2020, and the Kruzenshtern should return to Kaliningrad in early September 2020.

We are supported by reliable partners: the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rossotrudnichestvo, Ministry of Culture, The Russian Geographical Society, the Russian Military Historical Society, the Immortal regiment community, the State Historical Museum and many others.

We want everyone to consider this project not as travelling of ships around the Earth, but as the mind broadening and soul enriching experience for our youth. Of course, slight operational changes are possible, things do happen but we try to prepare properly for any challenges.

— The whole world will be watching your ships. How are the barques going to keep in touch with the shore?


— Making a great and heroic expedition is half the work. We pay great attention to informing the people, so we are going to have a number of reporters from news agencies and media, photographers, cameramen and journalists on board. We have also designed a a bilingual website of the expedition and keep posting the news there. The Baltic State Academy has also set up an information center that is going to receive news directly from the vessels. I am sure that there will be much more information in the course of the upcoming expedition, the news will be more available than ever.

Of course, there are new technical possibilities. The Sedov and the Kruzenshtern have been completely re-equipped with radio navigation and communications equipment, new antennas and Internet equipment have been installed. We expect to use new technologies for video conferences and online broadcasts from the vessels.

— The Captain-Mentor of the training sailboats Sedov and the Kruzenshtern Mikhail Novikov has recently reported about the upcoming round-the-world expedition at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia. You have told about the expedition at many platforms. How do people react? What are the most frequent questions?

— The most common question is how to get on board. As for this issue - we are listing the applications from media representatives, film crews, scientific groups, Geographical and Maritime communities for certain passages or trips. There will be from 8 to 12 people (guests) on the Sedov and the Kruzenshtern at different stages. I would like to underline that everyone on board must take part in the ship's work - at least four hours a day. No one is going to stroll around the deck with a cup of coffee while the cadets are mastering their skills, doing rigging works, setting sails and scrubbing the deck. Everyone should be involved.

In general, people like the news about our expeditions. As a rule, many people are interested in technical issues-sailing vessels are almost 100 years old, some people are concerned with safety. We always say that we bent every effort to guarantee the safety of navigation of our vessels. The sea loves the strong, and our mission is to prove that our seafarers are the best in the world. The good captain never passes through the storm, he gets round it.