Shabab Oman heads for Europe

In accordance with the Royal Order of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the Tall Ship Shabab Oman of the Royal Navy of Oman  leaves its home port on Wednesday 21 April, heading for Europe. This is Shabab Oman’ 11th voyage’ during which it will visit a number of European ports whilst taking part in several Tall Ships races organised by Sail Training International.

The first leg of its summer visit will commence from Europe’ Capital of Culture 2010, Istanbul, where the vessel will be joining Sail Training International’s Historical Seas Tall Ships Regatta. Shabab Oman, together with the rest of the race fleet,  will then make their way to the Bulgarian city of Varna before the final event leg to the Greek port of Lavrion..

A trip to the cooler north then follows, as the Shabab Oman  will join the annual Tall Ships Races for the leg from Aalborg in Denmark, to the Norwegian city of Kristiansand. Closing its European visit will be a stopover in Amsterdam, Netherlands and finally Bremerhaven, Germany.

On its previous visits to Europe the success of Shabab Oman in achieving its goals of establishing contact with nations of the world whilst extending friendship and peace across all the countries, has been well recognised. Shabab Oman has won the prestigious International Friendship Trophy, presented by Sail Training International on behalf of the participating fleet crews in 1996, 2001, 2005 and 2008, an achievement not equalled by any other Tall Ships participant.  Additionally they have been successful several times in winning prizes during the port crew parades as well as for their more technical accomplishments, such as the prize for longest distance travelled.