Barque Kruzenshtern set sail on her first training voyage this year

The four-masted barque Kruzenshtern commenced the sea stage of her first voyage of the 2026 navigation season. This morning, the sailing ship set sail with cadets on board. Before the departure on 14 July, the ship hosted a ceremonial muster attended by KSTU officials and a solemn prayer service.

At the ceremony, which took place on the deck of the century-old ship at the start of the event, the Acting Rector of KSTU, A.G. Mnatsakanyan, the Head of the BFFSA, A.V. Gruntov, and the Master of the Kruzenshtern, M.P. Eremenko, addressed the crew and trainee cadets with words of encouragement.

An awards ceremony followed it. Crew members of the Kruzenshtern and Sedov received certificates of honour, letters of appreciation and commemorative anniversary badges for their diligent work and professional skills from the acting rector of KSTU.

Following the awards ceremony, clergymen of the Russian Orthodox Church conducted a prayer service. During the religious service, the priests prayed for the intercession of the holy martyrs and for the protection of the departing seafarers from all the dangers that the sea holds. After the prayer service, the church choir, which had accompanied the ceremony with hymns, performed several more secular songs for all those present.

The ceremonial muster ended with a large cake bearing the inscription ‘Kruzenshtern – 100 Years’ being brought out onto the deck; it was cut up so that every cadet on board could enjoy a slice of the sweet treat.

Please note that about 140 cadets are having their practical training on the ship in the first voyage of 2026: 25 from Kerch State Maritime Technological University, 40 from the BFFSA, 60 from KMFC and 16 from SPbMFC, among them 13 girls (6 from the BFFSA, 7 from KMFC).