After Tragedy, Cuauhtémoc Training Ship Returns to Progreso

The Cuauhtémoc Training Ship, Mexico’s flagship naval vessel, is returning to Progreso. This marks the ship’s triumphant comeback after a horrific accident that killed two crew members in New York City earlier this year.

The 220-foot (67-meter) tall ship will bring 200 cadets to Yucatán’s main port during a training mission and a public celebration. The vessel will open its decks to visitors, offering guided tours for residents and tourists interested in exploring Mexico’s most recognizable naval ambassador.

The ship will dock at Progreso’s deep-water port for six days, with an official welcome ceremony planned aboard the vessel on the first day. Various training activities are scheduled for the cadets throughout their stay.

The visit comes months after the ARM Cuauhtémoc suffered extensive damage during an allision — the maritime term that applies when a moving vessel hits a stationary object — with the Brooklyn Bridge in May 2025. The three-masted barque was departing New York’s South Street Seaport when its towering masts struck the 142-year-old span, killing two crew members and injuring 20 others.

Named after the last Aztec emperor, the Cuauhtémoc has served as Mexico’s sailing ambassador since 1982. Built in Bilbao, Spain, the vessel measures 297 feet (91 meters) in length with its main mast reaching 147 feet (45 meters) high. The ship carries up to 25,498 square feet (2,368 square meters) of sail and has visited more than 200 ports across 60 countries during its four decades of service.

Captain José Díaz Castillo, the ship’s former commander, told Mexican media that repairs are expected to finish by late September. “We estimate that by the end of September it can be delivered to the Mexican Navy authorities and the crew of the Training Ship Cuauhtémoc,” he said.

The accident occurred during the vessel’s “Consolidation of the Independence of Mexico 2025” training cruise, which began in Acapulco last April. The ambitious 254-day voyage planned to visit 22 ports across 15 nations before concluding in Veracruz, where graduating naval cadets traditionally receive their commissions.

Progreso last welcomed the Cuauhtémoc in July 2022, when then-Governor Mauricio Vila Dosal and other officials toured the historic vessel. During that visit, the Mexican Navy offered guided tours to the public, limiting groups to 120 people at a time due to safety considerations.

The upcoming November visit will provide similar opportunities for visitors to explore the training ship. Tours will be available through Progreso’s IX Naval Zone headquarters on Calle 27 between streets 76 and 78. Weekday tours run from noon to 2 p.m., while weekend visits are scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon and 4 to 6 p.m.

About the Cuauhtémoc Training Ship

The Cuauhtémoc Training Ship belongs to a family of four sister ships built for Latin American navies, including Colombia’s ARC Gloria, Ecuador’s BAE Guayas, and Venezuela’s Simón Bolívar. All follow similar designs based on German naval architecture from the 1930s.

Beyond its training mission, the vessel serves as a floating cultural ambassador, carrying the “message of peace and goodwill of the Mexican people to the seas and ports of the world,” according to the Mexican Navy. Over its career, the ship has participated in major international sailing events and tall ship races.

The November visit to Progreso represents a significant milestone for the ship’s recovery following the New York accident. The National Transportation Safety Board continues investigating the Brooklyn Bridge allision, which highlighted ongoing navigation challenges in busy urban harbors worldwide.

For Yucatecos, the return of the Cuauhtémoc Training Ship offers a rare chance to experience maritime history firsthand. The vessel’s distinctive profile and traditional rigging provide visitors with a glimpse into naval training traditions that date back centuries.