FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

SHTANDART is a full-scale replica of the frigate Shtandart from 1703. She is a three-masted wooden frigate with square sails.

Today, SHTANDART is a sail training ship, a floating museum and an international cultural project. She is dedicated to maritime education, traditional seamanship and cultural exchange.

She is one of the very few operational wooden square-rigged sailing ships and one of only half a dozen replica ships actively sailing worldwide.

Like other tall ships, SHTANDART offers sail training voyages, primarily for young people who wish to experience and learn traditional sailing. However, people of all ages are welcome on board.

SHTANDART is also a cultural heritage project and home to an international community of sailors, trainees and volunteers.

Over the years, she has taken part in numerous European maritime festivals and cultural events, welcomed visitors and preserved maritime heritage. In many ways, she is a floating, hands-on museum.

She has also served as an authentic setting for films and documentaries and hosted live-action role-playing (LARP) events.

Since the first sail-training regattas 70 years ago, the main objective of sail training events has been to promote mutual understanding and peaceful international cooperation between young people of all nations. Sail training involves learning how to work together through active participation in sailing a ship.

Trainees and volunteers gradually learn everything needed to sail a traditional vessel, including how to take part in manoeuvres, the names and functions of the masts, sails and ropes, and the routines of life at sea.

Most importantly, they learn about teamwork, responsibility and leadership, and how to live and work together on board.

The permanent crew usually consists of:

Captain

3 watch officers, including at least one as ship’s engineer

1 quartermaster

3-8 experienced volunteers to assist the permanent crew with their duties

The engineer takes care of the ship’s electrical and mechanical systems. The quartermaster makes sure there is enough food and water on board and that everyone has a place to sleep.

The experienced watch officers teach trainees and volunteers how to sail the ship and pass on their maritime knowledge.

In addition to the permanent crew, people can join voyages as trainees or stay on board for several months as volunteers.

For some volunteers, this experience becomes the beginning of a maritime career. Some later become professional sailors or captains and describe SHTANDART as the place where their journey into the maritime world began.

The number of people on board varies. When sailing, there are usually:

Permanent crew: 5 people

Long-term volunteers: up to 8 people

1-2 media crew

Trainees: 20-25 people

Overall, SHTANDART is certified to carry up to 36 people.

On the original Shtandart from 1703, up to 150 people sailed together, which is hard to imagine today.

Current situation: Because of sanctions-related restrictions, the SHTANDART operates between non-EU countries in the Mediterranean Sea, mainly from southern Turkey.

2022–2024: the SHTANDART exclusively sailed in Western Europe, participating in maritime festivals, Tall Ships events and sail training voyages.

2009–2022: After leaving Russia in 2009, SHTANDART sailed throughout Europe, participating in maritime festivals, Tall Ships events and sail training voyages.

1999–2009: After being built in Saint Petersburg, the SHTANDART sailed from there and undertook voyages throughout Europe.

How big is SHTANDART? (SHTANDART’s technical specifications)

Flag: Cook Islands (Russian Federation until 2024)

Length overall (including bowsprit): 34.5 m

Deck centreline: 25 m

Beam: 7 m

Height (mainmast): 33 m

Draft: 3.0–3.3 m

Displacement: 220 tonnes

Propulsion:

Sail (three masted, fully rigged ship)

2 х Volvo Penta TAMD 122P, 560 hp (420 kW)

Electrical generators 380 V: 32 kW and 10 kW

Sail plan: 620 m² on three masts

Sailing type: full-rigged ship

Speed:

5 - 10 knots under sail

6 knots under auxiliary engines

Maximum recorded speed under sail: 14.8 knots

Year of construction: 1999

Place of construction: Saint Petersburg, Shipyard NP "Shtandart Project“

Number of bunks and hammocks: 36

Hull and planking material: Oak and larch

Spars: Shipbuilding pine

Yes. SHTANDART has been used as a filming location for numerous historical productions, including The Sovereign’s Servant, Nova Zembla, Michiel de Ruyter (Admiral), La Fortuna, “22 Angels”, and Peter and Wendy in which SHTANDART stood in for Captain Hook’s ship.

Anyone is invited to sail with Shtandart, no previous sailing experience is required.

You do not need to be an athlete, but sailing on a traditional ship does require a certain level of mobility and physical activity.

Not everyone has to do everything. On board, tasks are shared according to people’s abilities, and you may be surprised how much becomes possible when everyone works together.

If you are unsure whether a health condition could be a problem, please contact us before booking and we will discuss it with you.

People of many different ages sail with SHTANDART. Although most volunteers and trainees are young, we also love to welcome those who are young at heart.

What matters most is that you can take part safely in life on board. If you are unsure, just write to us and we will discuss it with you.

Kids can join if they are 7 years old and accompanied by a parent or guardian. They can travel alone if they are 12 years old or older.

Families are welcome, but life on board is very different from a normal holiday. For example, we all share the same sleeping areas, where the different sleeping times of the watches need to be respected.

There is a minimum age of 7 years for children. They must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, who must decide whether they are ready to follow the rules and participate safely in life on board.

Children aged 12 and over can travel alone.

Voyage length varies depending on the route and sailing schedule.

Most voyages last around one week, although some are shorter or can last up to ten days.

Participants are welcome to book for several consecutive voyages.

The exact dates, route and duration are listed for each voyage.

The price depends on the length and route of the voyage, the season and any additional expenses the ship might have, such as customs clearance for international voyages.

Indicatively, each participant is expected to contribute 90–120 euros per day.

SHTANDART is a non-profit sail training project, and voyage fees contribute directly to the costs of running the ship and providing for everyone on board.

The following expenses are included in the voyage costs:

Accommodation on board (hammock or bunk)

Four meals a day

Safety equipment

Port fees

Other ship-related expenses (crew, fuel, berthing, etc.)

Not included:

Travel to and from the ship

Personal insurance

Visas (if required)

If SHTANDART is anchored rather than moored in a marina, transport between the ship and shore by dinghy is organized by us.

Available voyages are listed on https://shtandart.eu/services/sail-with-us/.

You also can send your application via https://taplink.cc/frigate_shtandart

Choose a voyage, write us an email (voyage@shtandart.eu) and we will send you the information you need before joining.

If you are unsure which voyage is right for you, you can contact us directly.

You must bring the following items:

Documents: Passport with all the necessary visas if you need them for the journey

Insurance, valid for the duration of your trip, suitable for sailing on board of a private sailing yacht

Money (you might need some when visiting ports)

Medication: If you require medication, please bring double the amount you need for the duration of the journey. Please inform the captain of any health conditions (e.g. allergies or diabetes) before the start of the trip.

Warm clothes, including a hat (it might be cold at night watch on deck)

Rain clothes

Sports footwear with hard soles and a small heel (for climbing aloft)

Gloves for working on the rigging (optional)

Personal hygiene products, towel, swimming suit, sunglasses, sunscreen

Sleeping bag if possible (there are sleeping bags on board but using your own is always more comfortable)

Items best left at home: safety equipment (weapons, sprays), valuables, expensive jewellery,

No large hard suitcases permitted – the space on board is very limited. Soft bags are recommended instead.

At the beginning of the voyage, everyone meets on the main deck. We then divide into the three watches according to preferences and suitability and take some time to learn each other’s names.

Before anything else, everyone receives a safety briefing and an extensive tour of the ship. We show you the safety equipment, explain the correct behaviour on board and what to do in an emergency.

After the briefing, everyone signs that they have received the safety training.

Life on board is organised in three watches, named after the ship’s three masts:

Mizzen Watch: 08:00–12:00 and 20:00–24:00

Fore Mast Watch: 00:00–04:00 and 12:00–16:00

Main Mast Watch: 04:00–08:00 and 16:00–20:00

When on watch, the watch officer and the rest of the watch are responsible for sailing the ship and handling the sails. Everyone gets the chance to steer the ship and experience navigation and ship operation first-hand.

In addition to sailing the ship during the watches, each watch has a daily duty that rotates from day to day: cooking in the galley, cleaning the deck or cleaning below deck, including the toilets.

Watches may also support other watches with manoeuvres, raising the anchor, launching or recovering the dinghy and mooring the ship.

Meals are prepared on board by the watch on galley duty for that day.

Breakfast: 07:30

At sea: 07:30-08:30

Lunch: 12:00

At sea: 11:30–12:30

Teatime: 16:00

At sea: 15:30–16:30

Dinner: 20:00

At sea: 19:30–20:30

Allergies and vegetarian or vegan dietary requirements can usually be accommodated but should be communicated in advance so that the quartermaster can prepare accordingly.

The captain and officers give practical lessons on the sails and rigging, sailing manoeuvres, navigation and other aspects of traditional seamanship.

Much of the learning also happens naturally during the watches, while sailing and maintaining the ship.

Free time is usually spent talking, reading, listening to music, playing music, singing together, or simply watching the sea and dolphins. Sometimes the captain shows photos and tells stories about how SHTANDART was built, or everyone watches a film together, such as Master and Commander or Pirates of the Caribbean.

Trainees can choose between comfortable bunks and cosy hammocks. The bunks offer a little more space and can be closed with curtains for some privacy.

Hammocks gently rock with the movement of the ship and are often preferred by experienced sailors, as they help balance out the motion at sea.

Seasickness is common, both among experienced sailors and people who have never sailed before and usually improves after some time at sea.

If you know you are prone to seasickness, please bring medication that you know works well for you. We recommend Cinnarizine pills and do not recommend Dramamine.

It often feels better to stay on deck rather than below deck, get some fresh air and look at the horizon. Once you start feeling better, it can also help to go to bed early and simply sleep through the worst of it.

For most people, the body adapts to the movement of the ship after the first night, and they feel much better the next morning.

Life on a traditional sailing ship is, of course, more basic than life in a hotel. However, we have two toilets on board that are cleaned several times a day. As is common on sailing ships, they are flushed with seawater and used toilet paper is placed in a bin rather than being flushed away.

Fresh water is limited. Washing hands, brushing teeth and basic hygiene are always possible, but everyone is asked to use as little water as possible.

Showers are possible when we are in a marina and connected to a water supply. At sea, showers are restricted and usually limited to quickly rinsing off salt water after swimming.

There is no Wi-Fi on board, but we usually sail relatively close to the coast and often have a reasonable mobile connection.

If you want to stay connected, please arrange your own mobile data. In Turkey, buying an eSIM before travelling has proven to be a useful option.

Of course, that’s one of the best parts. In the beginning, however, you will not climb on your own. More experienced people will give you a safety briefing and show you how to climb and move safely in the rigging and along the yards.

If you are afraid of heights, you do not have to climb. If you still want to try, you can take your time, find your own limits and decide what you feel comfortable with.

The permanent crew are the people who run the ship and carry responsibility for its operation, safety and organisation.

Trainees join the SHTANDART for a sailing voyage and become part of life and work on board during that time. They make a financial contribution towards the costs of running the ship.

Volunteers usually stay for a longer period and support the ship with maintenance, work on deck and sailing. Many volunteers gradually gain considerable experience and take on more responsibility. During the first weeks, they learn the routines and gain the experience needed to become a valuable part of the team later on.

Yes. There are several ways to contribute as a volunteer:

Participate in the maintenance work. You can join Shtandart in autumn or winter to help with maintenance. We need volunteers with a variety of skills, including carpentry, mechanics, plumbing, welding, painting, rope and rigging expertise, and cooking. Three days of participation in repairs during the winter season is equivalent to one day of sailing. You can join us on a sailing trip this year or in the future; we will recognise your active participation in Shtandart's maintenance activities over the past three years.

After some sailing with Shtandart, you can apply to become a long-term volunteer and join the ship for three months or more. A maximum of 8 long-term volunteers can be on board at the same time. The captain and officers will discuss candidates and decide who to approve for the long term.

Help remotely. If you can run an independent project that is useful for the ship and its mission, you can help us via the remote programme. Send us an email at voyage@shtandart.eu with your ideas and we can discuss and develop them into a project.

Stand out as a trainee. Participate in two or more Shtandart voyages to prove yourself as a smart and helpful trainee. Afterwards, you can apply to continue sailing as a volunteer. Whether you are taken on is decided by the captain and officers on board. Those who can stay for a longer period (from 3 to 6 months) are given priority, as newcomers usually need time to familiarise themselves with the ship and discover how they can contribute.

Yes. Volunteers pay a daily contribution of €15 for food.

Travel to and from the ship has to be organised and paid for by the volunteers themselves.

Permanent crew positions are available for those with in-depth knowledge of the SHTANDART, her traditions, construction and routines.

People who first come aboard as volunteers can gain experience that may later lead to greater responsibility, such as becoming an Assistant Watch Officer. Once they have demonstrated their expertise, they may be considered for a permanent position.

Yes, very much so. A ship like SHTANDART needs much more than sailors. However, you learn to sail on board, so no previous sailing experience is required.

Nevertheless, we need people to help with maintenance and repair work at the marina, particularly in winter. Three days of work on land earn you one day at sea.

We can also always use help with organising groups for sailing trips, fundraising, spreading our story and helping more people get to know and love the ship.

If you have a skill you think could be useful, please contact us. We are open to creative ideas and support of all kinds.

Running and maintaining a wooden tall ship is expensive. Although SHTANDART finances most of her operations through sail training voyages, these funds alone are not enough to cover all maintenance, repairs and running costs.

The current exclusion from EU ports has made the financial situation particularly difficult, as SHTANDART has lost access to many of the festivals. Filming opportunities are also limited.

Donations and sponsorships help us keep the ship safe, maintained and sailing, as well as provide food and water for everyone on board.

Donations go directly towards keeping SHTANDART operational. This includes:

repairs and maintenance

sails, rigging and equipment repairs and upgrades

dry-docking and hull repairs

food, water and fuel supplies

harbour and marina fees

costs of legal advisors and lawyers

insurance costs

certificates, surveys and official documentation expenses

port agents and administrative costs

modest salaries for the permanent crew

There are many ways to support SHTANDART. You can:

make a donation

become a regular supporter

sponsor a trainee or a voyage

sponsor a vital part of equipment (a watermaker and an electric anchor winch are on the priority list)

help with maintenance and repairs

organise a fundraising event

introduce us to people or organisations that might be able to help

share our story

If you have another idea, please contact us. We are always open to creative support.

Yes. We are looking for companies that would like to support the long-term future of SHTANDART and the preservation of traditional sailing.

Sponsorship can be financial or take other forms, and we are more than happy to discuss individual ideas and possibilities.

Yes, the ship is an excellent place for a very special team-building event. Sailing SHTANDART requires people to work together, understand each other and support each other. During a two- or three-day voyage, people will get to know each other's qualities better than they would in many months of working in an office.

Companies are also welcome to organise events on board, with the ship offering a unique setting.

Yes. Maintaining and operating SHTANDART requires a wide range of equipment, materials and professional services.

Support in kind can therefore be just as valuable as financial sponsorship.

Yes. A sponsored berth can give a young person who under normal circumstances could not afford it the opportunity to experience traditional sailing and become part of an international crew.

Yes. We are extremely grateful when people organise events or initiatives to support the ship.

Please contact us beforehand so we can discuss your idea and provide information, images or other material if needed.

Yes. SHTANDART has participated in maritime festivals and sailing events for more than 25 years.

If you are organising an event and would like to invite the ship, please contact us with the location, dates and basic information.

Yes. SHTANDART has been used as an authentic setting for numerous films, documentaries and photo productions. We would love to help bring your next story to life aboard SHTANDART.

If you are interested in filming or photography on board, please contact us to discuss the project and practical possibilities.

Support does not always have to be financial.

Politicians, organisations and public figures can help by learning about our situation, connecting us with relevant contacts, supporting our cultural and educational work or helping our case receive fair consideration.

If you would like to raise your voice in support of SHTANDART, please contact us directly.

SHTANDART is an exact replica of the original ship of the same name from 1703. She was built in Saint Petersburg between 1994 and 1999. Construction began in Orlovsky Park, near the Smolny Cathedral, and was overseen by Vladimir Martus and a small group of sailing enthusiasts and volunteers.

SHTANDART was built by volunteers, with very little money and from the ground up on an empty plot of land in Saint Petersburg, rather than in a modern shipyard.

People contributed their time, skills and physical work to the project. Many worked simply in exchange for a meal.

The reconstruction was based on extensive historical research and a detailed model commissioned by the Hermitage Museum. Vladimir Martus saw this model in 1992 and decided to rebuild SHTANDART as a fully operational sailing ship.

Historical authenticity was preserved wherever possible. Above the gun deck, the masts, rigging, capstan, cannons, helm, rudder and wooden fittings followed the original design, while the spaces below deck were partly adapted for modern equipment, accommodation, the galley and safety requirements.

The builders deliberately used traditional shipbuilding methods and materials wherever possible. Oak was used for the keel and frames, larch for the hull planking and pine for the decks and masts. Techniques included steam-bending timber, hand-forging metal fittings and lifting heavy components manually.

As the project grew, dedicated workshops for rigging, sailmaking, smithing and woodcarving were created on site. The ship was built as a private cultural project without government funding or involvement of Russian state institutions.

The project emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union and was driven by enthusiasm for maritime history, traditional shipbuilding and international cooperation.

The aim was not to create a static museum piece, but a fully operational tall ship that could actually sail, while preserving as much historical authenticity as possible.

From the beginning, the project aimed to:

preserve traditional shipbuilding and seamanship

bring maritime history to life

teach people how to sail a traditional ship

connect people through sailing

After the main construction phase was completed, SHTANDART was launched into the River Neva on 4 September 1999. The remaining technical installations and rigging were completed afterwards.

On 25 June 2000, she left Saint Petersburg on her maiden voyage to Brest, France. Many of the volunteers who had helped build the ship became part of her first operational crew.

In 2009, SHTANDART left Saint Petersburg for good and continued her international sail training mission in Europe. She has not returned to Russia since.

No. SHTANDART is a full-scale reconstruction of the frigate Shtandart from 1703.

The replica was designed to remain historically accurate wherever possible while meeting modern safety and operational requirements. Everything above the gun deck closely follows the original design, while modern equipment and accommodation are integrated below deck.

The story of the original Shtandart begins with Peter the Great’s Grand Embassy to Western Europe from 1697 to 1698. During this journey, Tsar Peter worked in Dutch and English shipyards to learn modern shipbuilding. In England, King William III presented him with the royal yacht - the Royal Transport, which later served as a model for the original Shtandart.

The original Shtandart was built in 1703 at the Olonetsky shipyard, which is now known as Lodeynoye Pole. Its design combined Dutch shipbuilding methods with English rigging.

She became the first ship and flagship of the newly established Baltic Fleet and remained in service until 1719. Peter the Great then ordered her to be preserved as a monument to shipbuilding art.

The ship later deteriorated and was accidentally broken apart during an attempt to raise her in 1727/28. Catherine I ordered a replica to be built, but that order remained unrealised until the modern reconstruction began in 1994.

Traditional sailing on tall ships is recognised in Germany’s Nationwide Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage as a Good Safeguarding Practice under the UNESCO Convention. As a member of the Sail Training Association Germany (S.T.A.G.), SHTANDART belongs to the stakeholder group behind this recognition and is an active bearer of this living maritime heritage.

SHTANDART combines both tangible and intangible maritime heritage. As a historically reconstructed wooden ship, she preserves the tangible side of maritime heritage, while active sail training keeps traditional seamanship, maritime knowledge and skills alive.

From 2007 onwards, increasing conflicts with people linked to the Russian top authorities placed growing restrictions on the ship. When it seemed that SHTANDART might be seized, Captain Vladimir Martus decided to take the ship out of Russia in 2009.

Since then, SHTANDART has not returned to Russia. The decision marked a permanent break with Russia as the ship’s home and allowed her to continue her international sail training mission in Europe. Under the current regime, returning is not an option.

No. SHTANDART has not returned to Russia since leaving in 2009.

Vladimir Martus has publicly opposed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Putin’s decision to start it.

When Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, he and the crew publicly declared their opposition to the war. Ukrainian refugees were welcomed on board, and fundraising was organised to support children in Ukraine.

SHTANDART has an international crew, including people from Russia, Ukraine, France, Germany, Netherlands, Turkey, Spain, the USA, Canada and many other countries.

The project is non-partisan, educational and non-military. The crew has publicly opposed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and stands for international friendship, cultural exchange and peaceful cooperation.

No. SHTANDART receives no funding or other financial support from the Russian state and is financially independent from Russia.

The ship is owned by a Finnish citizen, operated by a German company and sails under the flag of the Cook Islands.

No. SHTANDART has no financial, operational or political ties to the Russian state.

The ship was built in Saint Petersburg and sailed under the Russian flag for many years. However, these historical facts are not to be confused with any present-day connection to the Russian government.

SHTANDART is affected by EU sanctions because she was unfortunately still registered under the Russian flag on 24 February 2022. The EU port ban also applies to vessels that changed from the Russian flag to another flag after this date.

Furthermore, since June 2024, the sanctions’ definition of a vessel explicitly includes “replicas of historical ships” - wording that we, as well as several independent lawyers, consider politically motivated and, in practice, specifically directed at SHTANDART.

We fully support the purpose of sanctions against Russia. However, SHTANDART has been independent from Russia for many years, generates no income for the Russian state and serves exclusively educational and cultural purposes.

As part of our efforts to remove any remaining formal links to Russia, SHTANDART changed to the Cook Islands flag on 6 June 2024.

However, later that same month, the EU added the words “including replicas of historical ships” to the sanctions legislation. Despite the change of flag, the authorities have applied the port ban to the SHTANDART since then.

This addition was not merely a clarification, but a substantive extension of the sanctions to a new category of vessels that had not previously been covered. Applying this new prohibition to SHTANDART based on her former Russian flag therefore demonstrates a retroactive effect.

This legal question is currently part of our appeal before the Court of Justice of the European Union.

We are not challenging the purpose of the EU sanctions against Russia. We are challenging their application to SHTANDART and the addition of the words “including replicas of historical ships”, because the specific circumstances of our independent cultural and educational project should be fairly examined.

In August 2024, an action was brought before the General Court of the European Union concerning the addition of “including replicas of historical ships”.

The General Court dismissed the action in August 2025 without examining the substance of the case. An appeal was then brought before the Court of Justice, where the applicants continue to seek judicial review.

The exclusion from EU ports has placed SHTANDART in a very difficult financial situation and threatens the future of the ship.

Being cut off from European festivals, trainees, volunteers and supporters has removed much of the environment in which the ship has operated and sustained herself for more than 25 years.

This is particularly difficult for SHTANDART, as we see ourselves as a European project. The captain and crew share European values and have clearly opposed Russia’s war against Ukraine. They believe in international cooperation, freedom, and peaceful exchange.

In times of conflict, we believe that people and projects that share these values should come together rather than be driven apart.

In June 2024, the words “including replicas of historical ships” were added to the definition of vessels covered by the relevant EU sanctions.

Before this wording was introduced, a French private individual who is leading a defamation campaign against SHTANDART repeatedly contacted European institutions. Published correspondence confirms that the European Commission received several of his submissions concerning the ship.

For several years now, a private individual who has never set foot on board SHTANDART has been waging a smear campaign against the ship, its captain and its crew. He has published numerous articles and has repeatedly approached ports, journalists, authorities and European institutions to level allegations against SHTANDART.

These claims are false or misleading. As new posts have sometimes been published almost daily, their sheer number creates a distorted picture of SHTANDART in online searches.

The posts are uploaded to a personal website and to Medium, a blogging platform that resembles a newspaper but has neither a fact-checking process nor an editorial team.

As a sail training ship, we are unable to respond adequately to this kind of campaign, as our small crew is fully occupied with running the ship, particularly given the current very difficult overall situation.

We therefore recommend that anyone seeking information about the SHTANDART distinguish between independent journalism and the content published as part of this campaign. In these FAQs, we openly provide the relevant facts regarding the ship’s ownership, funding, political stance and current legal situation.

We are happy to make ourselves available to journalists and newspapers for interviews and are more than happy to share our story and our reality on board.

SHTANDART is owned by Mariia Martus, the captain’s eldest daughter. She is a Finnish as well as a Russian citizen, lives in Helsinki and is an EU taxpayer.

SHTANDART is operated by MARTUS TV GmbH, based in Hamburg, Germany. The company manages the ship’s operations and pays taxes in Germany.

Before the current ownership structure was established, SHTANDART belonged to the non-profit organisation Shtandart Project.

The ship is not owned by the Russian state or by any sanctioned entity.

The captain is Vladimir Martus, founder and builder of SHTANDART.

He studied naval architecture at the St Petersburg Shipbuilding University and led the reconstruction of SHTANDART in the 1990s. He has dedicated more than thirty-five years of his life to the project.

SHTANDART’s original home port was Saint Petersburg.

After leaving Russia in 2009, La Rochelle in France became her chosen home port and an important base for the ship and her European community.

Due to the current EU port restrictions, SHTANDART can no longer return to La Rochelle and currently has no permanent home port.

During the 2026–27 winter season, the ship will be based in Alanya, Turkey.

SHTANDART sailed under the Russian flag until 2024. Since June 2024, she has sailed under the flag of the Cook Islands.

The flag change was part of the project’s efforts to remove its remaining formal links to Russia and secure the future of SHTANDART as an independent international sail training vessel.

The project is mainly financed through:

sail training voyages and trainee contributions

donations

film and media projects

LARP and team-building events

maritime festivals and city events (in the past)

All of this income goes directly back into keeping the ship operational.

SHTANDART is financially independent from the Russian state.

Maintaining a wooden tall ship is a continuous process. Parts constantly need to be repaired or replaced, and every few years SHTANDART has to go into dry dock for more extensive work such as caulking and hull repairs.

Income is mainly used for:

repairs and maintenance

sails, rigging and other equipment

food and drinking water

fuel

harbour and marina fees

electricity and water in port

insurance

certificates, surveys and official documentation

port agents, legal and administrative costs

modest salaries for the permanent crew

taxes and social contributions

There is little luxury on board. We sleep in hammocks or bunks, and the money is reinvested directly into keeping SHTANDART safe and sailing.

Our luxuries are usually much simpler: fresh fruit, an ice cream or a cake when someone has a birthday.