Spanish Navy training ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano docks in Cádiz after 7‑month cruise

The Spanish Navy’s training ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano completed its 98th cruise of instruction and arrived in Cádiz on Friday, sailing directly from the United States without the usual stop in Marín. Seventy‑three guardiamarinas remained on board, a rare sight for the port. The arrival was marked by an emotional reception: hundreds of family members, friends and local citizens gathered on the quay, offering applause, banners and embraces. Captain José María de la Puente Mora‑Figueroa personally greeted each guardiamarina before they disembarked, and the crew sang the naval anthem together.

The cruise, which began in January, included visits to ports across the Caribbean, the United States and several Latin American nations, and the ship took part in the United States’ 250th‑anniversary celebrations. The homecoming in Cádiz highlighted the training ship’s role in supporting Spain’s foreign policy and naval education.