In pictures and video: The Galeon Andalucia arriving into Derry

The Galeon Andalucia is the replica of the type of vessel used by the Spanish Crown for maritime expeditions during the 16th through the 18th centuries. Galleons were intended to discover and then establish trade routes between Spain, America and the Philippines islands, and formed the then called Fleet of the Indies.

To build this replica, three years of research were required to study the shapes, details, and dimensions of the original Spanish galleons of the Indies. The necessary information was gathered from the main historical and naval archives in Spain.

After completing this research, the construction design process took place over six months, followed by the actual building of the galleon, which required 17 months and the work of 150 people until its launch, ready to sail in February 2010. Innovative techniques were used in its construction, including building the hull and decks using fiberglass-based systems, and then covering the structure, decks, and hull with pine and iroko wood. This was the first time such a technique was used on ships over 500 tons intended for ocean navigation.

The replica of this galleon is a 500-ton vessel, measuring 49 meters in length and 10 meters in beam. It has four masts and nearly 1,000 square meters of sail area across six sails. Its average speed is 7 knots.

Since its launch, this galleon, crewed by between 15 and 35 people, has sailed across the world’s great oceans and seas. It has crossed the Pacific and Indian Oceans, the Atlantic, and navigated the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, South China Sea, Aegean Sea, Bosphorus, and the Caribbean, covering tens of thousands of nautical miles in tribute to its historic predecessors.