UPDATED: Mexican tall ship to visit New London
New London — The ARM Cuauhtémoc, the Mexican Navy’s training vessel, will visit the city May 2-6, Mayor Michael Passero has announced.
The tall ship is expected to arrive at 10 a.m. May 2, when it will exchange a 21-gun salute with a mobile saluting battery from Submarine Base New London positioned at Fort Trumbull.
An informal flotilla of vessels is expected to greet the ship.
City officials and dignitaries will welcome the Cuauhtémoc's crew in a ceremony at City Pier.
During its stay, the crew will visit the Coast Guard Academy.
“We’re starting our summer tourist season off with an international flair, and the Cuauhtémoc’s presence at City Pier is just another great reason to visit our historic city center with its rejuvenated waterfront,” Passero said in a statement.
“It is an honor to host one of the world’s great tall ships, and I encourage all New Londoners and everyone, really, to come and tour the ship while she’s in port,” he said.
Free tours of the Cuauhtémoc will be conducted from noon to 4 p.m. May 2 and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. May 3, 4 and 5.
Public aspects of the visit are being coordinated by OpSail Connecticut.
“They are justifiably proud of this magnificent ship and emphasized from the beginning that they would like the public to come out and visit,” John Johnson, the OpSail chairman, said, referring to the Mexican government.
“In a lot of ways, it is a goodwill mission to introduce the future maritime leaders of their country to ours, which is why they will be spending time at our Coast Guard Academy,” he said.
The Cuauhtémoc, a 270-foot barque commanded by Capt. Pedro Mata Cervantes, is expected to arrive with 252 crew members and cadets, 30 of whom are women.
Thirty-nine officers and 126 enlisted personnel are making the voyage.
The ship left its homeport of Acapulco Guerrero, Mexico, in March, embarking on a 205-day training mission that is to include stops in 17 foreign ports in 13 countries.
It will arrive in New London from Baltimore and depart for Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Johnson said his group has been working on preparations with both the Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy at the submarine base.
Several businesses also have been involved.
Thames Towboat, part of the Wronowski family of New London-based marine businesses that includes Cross Sound Ferry, will donate tugboats to assist the Cuauhtémoc as it enters and leaves the port.
Pilots for the tugs will be provided by the Interport/Connecticut State Pilots.
Atlantic Broadband, the Waterford-based TV, Internet and phone service provider, will donate high-speed Wi-Fi service for the ship, crew and cadets.
Quinn & Hary Marketing has designed a promotional flier and provided other public relations efforts.
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