One of the biggest and oldest Russian four-masted sailing ship The Sedov celebrates today 96 years.
Well, probably the boss of the largest German shipping company Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft would never imagine that his "young daughter" originally named the Magdalene Vinnen II, would have such a long and happy life.
At the beginning of 20th century, The Magdalene Vinnen II was the world’s largest auxiliary barque. It was exclusively used as a cargo ship with a crew that was partially made up of cadets. She transported a coal and all sorts of other cargoes from England to Argentina.
The barque came under Russian state ownership after the surrender of Germany, on December 20, 1945. In the USSR she was converted into a sail training vessel of the Soviet Navy. Magdalene Vinnen II was renamed the Sedov after the Arctic explorer Georgy Sedov who died during an investigation in the Arctic in 1914.
The vessel made several sails to South America and Africa during this period. Later, the barque was involved in oceanographic research in the North Atlantic. In 1966 she was transferred to the reserve in Kronstadt, and after the 1970s, she was only used as a training ship, sailing in the Gulf of Finland.
In the early 80s the Sedov reappeared after renovation which had new features added such as a glass-domed banquet hall with a stage and a movie theatre. Now the barque serves the local naval school, and the city of Murmansk ensuring her management and maintenance.
Russkiy Mir
