Global Maritime Festival Begins in Amsterdam with Historic Vessels
Hundreds of historic tall ships are heading to Amsterdam for a five-day festival celebrating the city's maritime history. The event, known as SAIL 2025, marks the first edition in a decade and coincides with Amsterdam's 750th anniversary. Ships from around the world departed from Ijmuiden in the North Sea, traveling up the North Sea Canal to enter Amsterdam's Ij waterway. Each vessel is greeted with cannon fire and its country's national anthem as it arrives. The festival, which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors, was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The parade culminates in an evening fireworks display and ships will remain in Amsterdam through the weekend.