The third largest school ship in the world in the port of Vigo

Almost seven years after its last visit, on 16th March, the third largest school ship in the world, the great Kruzenshtern, will return to Vigo harbor, thanks to the work of the Traslatio Foundation, one of whose objectives is making Vigo a must-attend stopover for large sailboats, given its excellent geographical location, the safety of the estuary, and the good location of the port in the center of the city, which makes it easier for all those who wish to admire and visit a part of the history of navigation.

Being the last of a series of four fast sailing boats destined to dangerous and long journeys crossing the South Atlantic, it is the only one of these who continues sailing after ninety two years in operation; two of the others were turned into floating museums -in New York and Germany-, and the third one had a much more fateful ending, after sinking in the Atlantic Ocean dozens of years ago.

The fact is that the famous ship went through many and very diverse functions that make up its great history. Starting from its beginnings covering the wheat race in the line of Australia, and happening to be delivered to the USSR in compensation for the damages of war only twenty years later; the sailboat continued its long life as a school ship for its future officers of the fishing fleet of the USSR, to later become part of the fleet of the National Academy of Fisheries of the Baltic.

During its last years, the ship served as a stage for the filming of several films and documentaries; it went around the world in commemoration of the trip made by the explorer who gives it its name and to whom it pays homage; it left his mark on numerous scales around the world and currently serves as a school ship for the Russian Navy.

The city of Vigo is lucky to have the ship for a couple of days again. The school ship already docked in its waters in 1998 participating in the Cutty Sark Regatta; in 2009, on the occasion of the departure of the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge; and in 2011, making a stop in one of his trainign trips. Without a doubt, its origin, construction and history make the Kruzenshtern a sailboat that leaves no one indifferent; and from the 17th to the 18th of March, a fantastic opportunity for all those Galicians who want to get closer and enjoy its beauty.

The ship Kruzenshtern during its last visit to Vigo, in 2011