Russian sailer Nadezhda about to complete her round-the-globe voyage

The Russian training frigate sailer Nadezhda, completing her round-the-world voyage, arrived in the Japanese port of Nagasaki on Monday morning, reported the Maritime University of Vladivostok.

On the day before, the crew - naval cadets, instructors and members of the scientific team, in fact all who are aboard - took part in electing a president of Russia.

The vessel is scheduled to stay in Japan until March 19, following which she will set course to the South Korean city of Pusan, the last point on her itinerary to the port of registration - Vladivostok.

The frigate of the Admiral Nevelsky Maritime University set out on a round-the-globe trip from Vladivostok on January 25, 2003.

On February 18 of this year, the frigate passed the latitude of the port of registration Vladivostok, in that way completing a full revolution around the globe. During this time the ship crossed the equator three times.

The circumnavigation of the globe is dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the first round-the-world sailing of Russian seamen under the command of Ivan Kruzenshtern and Yuri Lisyansky, carried out on the sloops Nadezhda and Neva.

The present itinerary of the Nadezhda follows as closely as possible the historical course of the famed cruise.

Together with the crew and naval cadets the sailer is carrying a Russian scientific expedition to investigate ecological problems and processes in the world ocean.

At the first stage of the voyage, the sailing vessel from Vladivostok covered her way to St Petersburg, via the Pacific and Indian oceans, the Suez canal, and the Atlantic.

After participating in celebrations devoted to the 300th anniversary of the city on the Neva, the sailer called at Britain, then the Canary Islands, Brazil, the Falklands, Chile, Tahiti, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Hong Kong, and Shanghai.

The Nadezhda is expected to arrive in Vladivostok on March 28.