The ship is considered a “floating ambassador” of Colombia.
Rabat – The training ship and official flagship of the Colombian Navy, “ARC Gloria,” docked yesterday, September 16, in Casablanca.
The ship will remain in Morocco’s economic capital until Thursday, September 19, as part of an initiative aiming to strengthen Morocco-Colombian relations.
The visit of the 51-year-old ship coincides with the bicentenary of Colombia’s independence, along with the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Bogota, the Colombian capital, and Rabat.
“This anniversary is an opportunity to reaffirm our exceptional friendship and cooperation ties,” said Maria Del Pilar Gomez Valderrama, the Colombian ambassador to Morocco.
The Colombian diplomat also announced the signature of several agreements between Morocco and Colombia. The agreements aim to develop activities in different sectors of common interest, including education, culture, sport, trade, and tourism.
The ARC Gloria set sail from Cartagena, Colombia on June 7, 2019, to start a world tour. The ship stopped over Boston, United States (from June 21 to 24) and then travelled to Saint-Malo, France (July 16–19). The ship also docked in Lithuania, Sweden, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Before sailing to Casablanca, the ARC Gloria also docked in Liverpool, United Kingdom (August 30-September 2). Casablanca is the ship’s last stopover before going back to Cartagena, on October 18.
The ARC Gloria is a three-masted ship. It is 65 meters long and has 23 sails. The ship’s crew is composed of 165 sailors. The ship is considered a “floating ambassador” of Colombia, according to Gomez Valderrama. The ARC Gloria also serves as a training ship for the Colombian National Armada officers.
