Spanish Navy presents centenary programme for the Juan Sebastián de Elcano

The Spanish Navy has presented the official programme for the centenary of the training ship, which will take place throughout 2027 and 2028, at an event presided over by Admiral General Antonio Piñeiro Sánchez.

The Spanish Navy presented the official programme of commemorative events for the centenary of the training ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano at Madrid’s Teatro Real. The celebrations will take place throughout 2027 and 2028 under the motto “A century sailing towards the future.” The centenary will have His Majesty King Felipe VI as honorary president, at the head of the organising committee, and will combine naval, cultural and educational activities with events open to the public.

The gala, presided over by the Chief of Staff of the Spanish Navy (AJEMA), Admiral General Antonio Piñeiro Sánchez, brought together representatives of institutions linked to the ship’s history, including the Mayor of A Coruña, Inés Rey; the Mayor of Cádiz, Bruno García; and the Mayor of San Fernando, Verónica Adriana Aguirre. Also in attendance were Undersecretary of Defence Adoración Mateos Tejada and Director of the National Intelligence Centre Esperanza Casteleiro.

Hosted by RTVE journalist Marta Jaumandreu, the event combined the solemnity of the anniversary with innovative audiovisual elements. One of the highlights was a digital recreation of the goddess Minerva, whose figure adorns the ship’s figurehead. She accompanied the audience through some of the key episodes in the ship’s history and introduced the people who, over almost a century, have helped build its legacy.

During his speech, the AJEMA highlighted the continued relevance of the training ship and its role as a tool for training and Spain’s international presence. “The Juan Sebastián de Elcano is turning 100, but it is not a ship that looks to the past; it is a ship that has been sailing towards the future for a century,” he said.

The commemorative programme will begin in January 2027 with the departure from Cádiz of the XCIX Hispano-America Cruise 2027. The ship will visit different countries and ports across Latin America. One of its main milestones will be the centenary of its launch, to be commemorated on March 5th in Callao, Peru, as part of the international Velas Latinoamérica gathering.

The ship will subsequently continue its voyage, with stops including A Coruña, Lisbon and Cádiz. In the Andalusian capital, a special programme is planned for June, including the installation of a monument dedicated to the goddess Minerva, as well as a range of cultural and sporting activities.

In September 2027, the 100th Training Cruise will begin, including a circumnavigation of the world and extending the centenary celebrations into 2028. During this cruise, the ship will make a stop in Málaga in October to commemorate the first training voyage it undertook in 1928.

The circumnavigation will conclude in June 2028 with the ship’s arrival in Cádiz, where a Naval Parade commemorating the centenary is planned. The programme will continue in July with a stop in Pasaia (Gipuzkoa), linked to the presentation of the ship’s first Battle Flag, and will conclude on July 16th at the Naval Academy in Marín. In September 2028, the Centenary Documentary will be presented.

The programme also seeks to bring the celebrations to the wider public through exhibitions, cultural and educational activities, and various initiatives involving numismatics, philately and special editions by Spain’s National Lottery and ONCE. The centenary has been declared an Event of Exceptional Public Interest.

Almost a century after its launch, the Juan Sebastián de Elcano continues to fulfil its essential mission: training future generations of officers and representing Spain wherever it calls. As the AJEMA concluded, “Some ships have history, and some also have a soul: the Juan Sebastián de Elcano is one of them.”