Historic Romanian vessel to dock in İzmir

ISTANBUL

An 85-year-old training ship belonging to the Romanian Navy is due to dock at the western province of İzmir’s Alsancak Port next week, offering visitors a unique opportunity to tour the historic vessel.

"Nava Scoala Mircea," the historical three-masted training ship of the Romanian Navy, is expected to arrive at the Port on July 24 and will be open to visit free of charge until July 27, the Consulate General of Romania has announced.

The representative of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Ambassador Naciye Gökçen Kaya, and the team of the Consulate General of Romania in İzmir will hold an official welcoming ceremony for the training ship.

A reception will be held on July 25 on the deck, hosted by Mioara Stefan, consul general of Romania in İzmir, and Tarhoaca Mircea, the commander of the vessel.

Entrance will be free of charge from the İzmir Port Passenger Terminal, but due to security measures, an ID check will be mandatory, read the statement of the Consulate General.

Named after "Mircea," ruler and voivode of Wallachia, the ship became the first navy ship to cross the Atlantic Ocean to represent Romania in the celebrations of the 200th anniversary of U.S. independence in 1976.

Around 70 Romanian and foreign students, including two from Türkiye, are on board the ship for their first international training, which will last 28 days.

The first session of cadet training started in March this year, with the ship docking at the Greek Port of Piraeus.