In the presence of the Ambassador of Mexico in the UK, Josefa González Blanco, the Sailing School Tall Ship ‘Cuauhtémoc’ of the Mexican Navy arrived in London on 20 June with 268 crew members on board, including captains, officers, cadets and sailors, as well as national and foreign invited officers, including 35 women.

The sailing tall ship, also known as the ‘Ambassador and Knight of the Seas,’ docked in Thames Quay, where it was received by naval, military, civil and diplomatic authorities, as well as representatives of the Mexican community.

The ship began its journey in the port of Acapulco on 1 April, and after stops in Panama, Cuba, the US, Spain and France, it arrived in the UK. It was open to the public for a couple of days.

Captain Jose Díaz Castillo, Commander of the Cuauhtémoc School Ship, explained that the UK is one of 13 countries that the sailboat will visit on its training cruise ‘Ibero-Bizantino 2023,’ taking place over nine months and spreading the message of peace and goodwill from the Mexican people around the world. He stressed that his arrival and presence in the UK are dedicated to promoting Mexico’s candidacy for the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for the period 2024-25.

The Training Ship will also visit ports in countries such as Turkey, Italy, Portugal, Colombia, Panama, Guatemala and Ecuador. It will provide its crew members with the necessary tools to guarantee the safety and protection of the seas and the naval preparation to take on the challenges that the increasingly globalised international arena holds.

Since its launch on 24 July 1982, the Cuauhtémoc has sailed the oceans and seas of the world, training more than 40 generations of captains, officers, cadets, class personnel and sailors in the most deeply rooted seafaring traditions.