Spanish Navy training ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano to dock in Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo.- The Spanish Navy’s training ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano will arrive in Santo Domingo on March 10 as part of its current international training cruise. The historic vessel is scheduled to dock at the Punta Torrecilla Pier during its visit to the Dominican capital.

Named after Spanish navigator Juan Sebastián Elcano, who completed the first circumnavigation of the world in 1522 after the death of Ferdinand Magellan, the ship was launched in 1927 in Cádiz and delivered to the Spanish Navy in 1928. Over nearly a century of service, it has sailed about 1.9 million nautical miles and visited more than 70 countries.

The vessel’s main mission is to train midshipmen of the Spanish Navy through annual training cruises, where future officers take part in navigation and ship operations. Throughout its history, the ship has completed 97 training voyages, including 11 around-the-world trips, while also serving as a “floating embassy” that promotes Spain’s cultural and diplomatic presence abroad.