‘Juan Sebastián de Elcano’ starts her 91st Training Cruise.

The training ship ‘Juan Sebastián de Elcano’ set sail last Sunday from Cádiz to start her 91st midshipmen training cruise.

The farewell ceremony was presided over by the Chief of Staff of the Spanish Navy, Admiral General Teodoro López Calderón, accompanied by other civilian and military authorities.

The commanding officer of the ‘Juan Sebastián de Elcano’ is Captain Ignacio Paz and her crew consists of 20 officers, 20 NCOs, 148 leading seamen and ratings, and 2 civilians. The purpose of this training cruise is to contribute to the nautical, military, social and human instruction of the new 70 midshipmen from the 421st Spanish Navy graduation class and the 151st Marine Corps graduation class.

The many accompanying ships during the farewell departure from Cádiz Bay flew the 5th Centenary Ensign commemorating the first circumnavigation of the globe 500 years ago.

The ‘Juan Sebastián de Elcano’ also actively supports the State foreign policy visiting different ports during her training cruise.

In the course of the next six months, the ship will visit the following national and international ports: Tenerife (Canary Islands), San Juan (Puerto Rico), Cartagena de Indias (Colombia), Veracruz (Mexico), Pensacola and Boston (USA), Havana (Cuba), Lisbon (Portugal), Szczecin (Poland), Kiel (Germany), Guetaria, Getxo and Marín (Spain) with a scheduled arrival at Cadiz on July 21st.