The ‘Juan Sebastián de Elcano’ crosses the Suez Canal and starts the transit back to Spain.

The Spanish Navy training ship ‘Juan Sebastián de Elcano’ is conducting her 93rd training cruise, this time sailing around the world as one of the events organized on the occasion of the commemoration of the 5th Centenary of the first circumnavigation of the globe.

The ship set sail from the city of Cadiz last August 24th and during the next 10 months has travelled around the world visiting the most relevant places of the original Spanish expedition of Ferdinand Magellan and Juan Sebastian de Elcano, which 500 years ago circumnavigated the Earth for the first time in what was the greatest feat in the history of navigation.

The ship's main task is to contribute to the comprehensive training of the 62 midshipmen on board, (future Spanish Navy officers), who embarked last December 6th in Guayaquil (Ecuador).

The ‘Juan Sebastián de Elcano’ began to cross the Suez Canal on May 26th to enter the Mediterranean Sea and start her transit back to national territory. Due to the prevailing conditions in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, it has not been possible to navigate at full sail, so the ship focused on training the midshipmen in other issues such as coastal navigation in areas with heavy shipping and other aspects aimed at ensuring the safety of the ship.

The last time the ship crossed the Suez Canal was in 2002 while on her 10th round-the-world voyage. After crossing the canal, the ship is scheduled to call at Valletta (Malta) on June 3-5 in what will be the last foreign port of call.

The training ship will arrive at the port of Cadiz on June 13th thus concluding its 93rd training cruise and 11th round the world trip.

The training ship has visited different ports including Punta Arenas (Strait of Magellan, Chile) in October; Guam (Marianas) in March, Samar and Cebu (Philippines) in March, Ternate and Tidore (Moluccas Islands) in April, coinciding, 500 years later, with the dates of the arrival of the Magellan-Elcano expedition to those places.

This voyage has been characterized by the compliance with all anti-COVID related measures established prior to her departure. This fact has been a determining factor for the whole crew, whose members have made an enormous effort of self-sacrifice.