On July 22, 120 cadets from the Admiral Makarov State University of Maritime and Inland Shipping (SUMIS) and its branch, the Voronin Arctic Maritime Institute, boarded the Mir sailboat, moored at the seaport Big Port of St. Petersburg. The second shift of sailing practice for the 2025 season will last on the vessel until September 22.

Over the next two months, the ship will undertake nine voyages in the Baltic Sea between St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad. Alongside 96 cadets from SUMIS, 24 future sailors from the university's branch in Arkhangelsk, the Voronin Arctic Maritime Institute, will also gain valuable experience aboard the training sailing vessel.

Under the guidance of three instructors, the cadets will be introduced to the rich traditions of Russian seamanship. They will learn to catch the favorable wind, determine the ship’s position using navigational references, raise and lower the sails, as well as study vessel mechanisms and work both on deck and in the engine room.

Currently, the cadets are settling into their cabins, acclimatizing to the ship, and attending briefings. On July 28, the sailboat will leave the seaport for open sea and head towards Kaliningrad.

The first shift of sailing practice on the Mir sailboat this year lasted from May 16 to July 21. Onboard the vessel, which passed a total of about 5 thousand miles, were 120 cadets from SUMIS and its college.

During this period, the Mir sailboat participated in two festivals in the Kaliningrad region. On June 28-29, the vessel moored at the Kaliningrad Sea Fishing Port and welcomed guests to the Open Sea maritime festival. On July 12-13, the ship was at pier No. 1 of the cargo-passenger terminal, where it hosted residents of Pionersky during the “Sea Week”.

All in all, 10,500 people visited the world's fastest sailboat during these days. Cadets from SUMIS conducted tours for them, sharing the ship’s history and construction, and helped organize educational workshops onshore.

The cadets returned from the sea inspired, laden with impressions. “This was our first practice, and we will keep memories of it for a long time because we got to see what a sailor’s work was like, stood watches, and learned to set the sails. Most importantly, we forged strong friendships. I believe this friendship will last through the ages, and Mir will become a starting point in our lives and careers,” shared her impressions Elizabeth Kotelevskaya, a first-year student from the Navigation and Communication Faculty at SUMIS.