Juan Sebastián de Elcano training ship reaches Cádiz without Marín stop

The Spanish Navy’s training vessel Juan Sebastián de Elcano arrived in Cádiz on Friday, 31 July, after completing its 98th instructional cruise across the Atlantic from the United States. All guardiamarinas remained aboard because the ship’s participation in the 250th‑anniversary celebrations of U.S. independence altered its schedule, eliminating the traditional stop in Marín where cadets typically disembark.

The city’s Association Cádiz con Elcano organized a special reception, inviting the local sporting fleet and recreational boat owners to accompany the vessel as it entered the Bay near Las Redes and later proceeded to the Arsenal of La Carraca. The ship was expected to anchor around 10:00 UTC and dock at the port of Cádiz about 11:00, with the quay decorated with International Code of Signals flags.

This altered arrival marks a rare deviation from the customary itinerary, underscoring the close ties between the Spanish Navy’s training program and international commemorations.