Arctic crossing of the «Sedov» barque in August-October 2020: review of the results of scientific observations

Abstract

In March 2021, the four-masted barque «Sedov» celebrated its centenary. On the eve of the anniversary, in August- October 2020, the training sailing vessel (TSV) barque «Sedov» for the first time in the history of Arctic research made the crossing along the Northern Sea Route in one navigation without ice wiring, covering 7.1 thousand miles on the passage from Vladivostok to Murmansk. VNIRO’s scientific staff made observations on the shelf of the north-western part of the Pacific Ocean and the Arctic Seas along the ship’s route. Methods of collecting samples for the assessment of sea pollution with microplastics, oceanographic conditions, the number and distribution of marine mammals, adapted to the working conditions of a sailing ship in the Arctic seas, were developed during practical training with cadets. Scientific observations made during the passage of the barque «Sedov» along the Northern Sea Route showed the possibility of using training sailing vessels of Rosrybolovstvo to collect relevant data on the biota, environmental conditions and ecology of the Seas and Oceans.