Port of Antwerp-Bruges counts down to The Tall Ships Races

 Thirty-six Tall Ships will moor at the Scheldt quays and the docks around the MAS. This is already the eighth time that Antwerp has had the honour of welcoming these impressive vessels. This year’s Tall Ships Races consist of three races. First, the ships will sail from Aarhus in Denmark to Harlingen in the Netherlands, before continuing on from Harlingen to Antwerp. The second race sets sail from Antwerp on 14 July, heading for Stavanger in Norway. From there, the ships will return to Denmark for the third race.

Cathedrals of the sea

Everyone is looking forward to the arrival of the participating sailing ships. These ‘cathedrals of the sea’ are divided into classes, designated by letters from A to D, with A-class ships being the largest. Thirteen of the A-class ships and 23 B-, C- and D-class ships will be on display during the stopover in Antwerp.

We’re looking forward to seeing the Belgian participants such as Rupel, Saefthinge, Op Stok 3 and Patricia, but our loyal Dutch neighbours – including Gulden Leeuw, Wylde Swan and Urania – will also be joining us once again. This year, we’re delighted to welcome back the Norwegian ships Sorlandet and Statsraad Lemkuhl. For the first time, Vera Cruz, a beautiful Portuguese replica of a caravel, will be calling at Antwerp.

In total, ships from 13 different countries are taking part, and each ship tells its own story. The crew and trainees will be delighted to tell you more about their ship, their adventures at sea and how taking part in The Tall Ships Races has had an impact on their personal development.

Extensive programme

As the ‘host port’ for The Tall Ships Races, the City of Antwerp and Port of Antwerp-Bruges are organising a major, four-day public event. Visitors can not only explore impressive ships but also meet young people from all over the world, sample a variety of food and drink, and take part in numerous activities. With a carefully curated mix of performances, activities and entertainment for all ages, Sailor’s Boulevard takes visitors from one wonder to the next across three event zones.

For three days, from 2 pm each day, everyone can enjoy musical performances across three event zones. An overview of the programme can be found here.

Organisation and sponsors

The Tall Ships Races Antwerp are organised by the City of Antwerp and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges under the auspices of Sail Training International. STI is the leading organiser and provider of races, events, conferences, seminars, publications, research and other services for the international sail training community. The sponsors and mentors of the trainees can be found here.

Press visits

Interested in a press visit, or do you have any questions? Please contact us at press@visitanwerpen.be.