After graduating from the naval academy he joined (1830) the corps of navy cadets (Russian: гардемарины - gardemariny) and in 1832 was promoted midshipman in the Baltic Fleet, serving on the frigates Belton, Kulm and Oranienbaum.

He returned to the Black Sea Fleet in 1853, commanding a squadron under vice-admiral Lazar Markovich Serebryakov.

The same year he was promoted imperial aide-de-camp and appointed deputy director of the Ministry of Navy's Inspection Department.

While working at the Inspection Department he was actively involved in the equipment of the vessels to be stationed in the delta of the Amur River, and in establishing the first Russian naval base in the Far East, on the Pacific Ocean.

He also made the arrangement for Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich's visit to the United States in 1871-1872.