ONE of the world’s oldest and largest tall ships, the ‘Juan Sebastián de Elcano’ has arrived in Dublin Port for a five-day visit.
The 370-foot long, four-masted schooner is the world’s third largest tall ship and one of the oldest tall ships still sailing.
The Spanish Embassy in Dublin and Dublin Port Company said the ship that arrived last Saturday will depart on Thursday, June 15.
The majestic steel-hulled schooner led by Captain Victoriano Gilabert arrived in Dublin Port carrying 245 crew on board.
The ship is used as a training vessel for the Royal Spanish Navy to prepare its officers for long periods at sea.
King Felipe VI is among the officers who have been trained on board the ship, which is named after Spanish explorer Juan Sebastián de Elcano, captain of Ferdinand Magellan’s last exploratory fleet, and the first man to circumnavigate the globe.
While in Dublin, the crew will participate in a range of engagements to promote Spanish-Irish cultural exchanges and will include an open day for the public.
The ship will initially berth at Ocean Pier in Dublin Port, before moving to Berth 18 beside the Tom Clarke Bridge, where she will be open to the public to visit free of charge on Wednesday, June 14.
Visitors are welcome to come and see first-hand the craftsmanship and young crew at work on board this stunning vessel.
The ship, now on its 89th training voyage, departed from Cádiz (Spain) on March 12 and sailed to Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) and New York.
The ship then set sail across the Atlantic back to Spain and made its way to Dublin from the Port of Marín.
Built in Cádiz and launched in 1927, the Elcano has visited over 197 ports in more than 70 countries, and of its 89 cruises to date, 10 have been round-the-world trips.
Since its first voyage she has clocked up more than 1.8 million nautical miles.
The last time the Elcano visited Dublin Port was in June 2014.
Eamonn O’Reilly, Chief Executive of Dublin Port Company, said: “We welcome the return of the Juan Sebastián de Elcano and her crew to Dublin Port. The Elcano is one of the finest tall ships in the world, and her arrival is sure to capture the interest and imagination of people here, while providing a unique opportunity to learn more about Spain’s naval heritage.”