Russian sailing vessel Pallada returned on Saturday to the home port of Vladivostok after a three-month Pacific tour, RIA Novosti correspondent reported.
The ship, carrying over 100 cadets from Russia’s Far Eastern Primorye and Kamchatka territories, sailed from Vladivostok on July 1. The trip was dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Soviet cosmonaut Yury Gagarin’s space flight and the 270th anniversary of the discovery of “Russian America” by Russian seafarers.
“The cadets have received a unique sailing experience during the journey,” the ship’s captain Vasily Sviridenko told reporters at the welcome ceremony. “They have passed the exams and received certificates of completion.”
During the tour, the Pallada covered a distance of 13,000 nautical miles and called at seven ports in Canada and the United States, including Los Angeles and San Francisco.
In all ports-of-call, the cadets visited historical and cultural sites and took part in a number of official events.
The Pallada was built in 1989 at a shipyard in Gdansk, Poland, and her flag was hoisted on July 4, 1989. The frigate has spent a total of 12 years in transoceanic voyages, calling at 101 ports in 35 countries. Guinness World Records lists the Pallada as the world’s fastest sailing ship developing a speed in excess of 18 knots.