New London — Gov. Ned Lamont helped launch the 7th Annual Connecticut Maritime Heritage Festival here Thursday, joining a procession of speakers in extolling the city’s prominent place in maritime history.

“This is where you want to be when you celebrate our maritime heritage,” said Lamont, who addressed a small gathering on City Pier.

The governor called attention to New London’s close ties to the Coast Guard and the Navy, its heyday as a 19th century whaling port and its future as the “renewable capital of New England," a reference to his administration’s efforts to facilitate offshore wind development. He made no mention of controversies surrounding the Connecticut Port Authority’s role in those efforts.

He also noted that the groundbreaking for an $800 million expansion of Electric Boat’s submarine-production facilities is taking place Friday in Groton.

Mayor Michael Passero, who introduced Lamont as “a great friend of the city,” also spoke of New London “as a fitting place” to stage the maritime festival, which will draw about a dozen vessels to the waterfront. Passero referenced the Battle of Groton Heights, the Revolutionary War conflict in which Benedict Arnold, a Norwich native, led British forces that burned New London and ships in the harbor.

“We’re still making history,” said Passero, who has linked the city’s economic recovery to improvements to the waterfront.

John Johnson, the festival chairman, said New London has been asked to host a flotilla of tall ships for an event in 2020, “which is going to cost some money.” Without providing specifics, he said the festival committee was committed to raising half of what’s needed and would look to public and private sources for the rest of the funding.

“We’ll be meeting with the governor,” he said.

Coast Guard Capt. Michael Turdo, commanding officer of the barque Eagle, and Navy Cmdr. Dan Reiher, commanding officer of the USS Sioux City, a 388-foot combat ship, spoke about their vessels’ participation in the festival. The Eagle will be moored at City Pier during the four-day event, while the Sioux City moved Thursday to Fort Trumbull State Park from the Naval Submarine Base in Groton.

The Sioux City had been at the sub base since last Friday while avoiding Hurricane Dorian’s path.

Turdo said the festival will provide the Eagle crew with its first opportunity “to truly re-integrate” with the community since returning to New London, its home port, in July. During a five-year hiatus in Baltimore, the ship underwent extensive renovations.

Docked at Fort Trumbull since its return, the ship has been drawing crowds of visitors, according to Turdo.

Reiher said the Sioux City’s 70-member crew was looking forward to hosting tours during the festival and visiting New London.

“They’ve heard Bank Street and State Street are the places to go,” he said.

All of the ships at the festival will be open to the public for free tours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

b.hallenbeck@theday.com