Here’s more about the massive Mexican Navy tall ship spotted in Victoria

Anyone looking toward Victoria’s harbour over the weekend may have noticed a towering new addition to the waterfront.

The massive three-masted vessel is the ARM Cuauhtémoc, a Mexican Navy sail-training ship that arrived in Victoria on Saturday, September 12th as part of a months-long voyage through the North Pacific.

The ship, which measures approximately 297 feet long and 39 feet wide, is currently docked at the Canadian Coast Guard base in Victoria.

Its visit is part of the Mexican Navy’s “North Pacific 2026” training cruise, a 92-day journey covering approximately 9,812 nautical miles.

The Cuauhtémoc left Acapulco, Mexico, on July 15th and has already visited Honolulu, Hawaii and Seward, Alaska. After departing Victoria, the ship is scheduled to continue south to San Francisco and San Diego before returning to Acapulco.

There are 281 Mexican Navy personnel aboard, including 144 recently graduated midshipmen from the Heroic Naval Military Academy.

The voyage gives the future naval officers an opportunity to put their classroom education into practice through traditional sailing, navigation and shipboard exercises. Training also focuses on leadership, teamwork and decision-making while at sea.

However, training is only part of the ship’s mission.

The Mexican Navy describes the Cuauhtémoc as its “Ambassador and Knight of the Seas,” representing the country while promoting peace, friendship and cooperation at ports around the world.

The ship entered service in 1982 and has since visited 223 ports in 63 countries while travelling more than 859,000 nautical miles. It has also completed four voyages around the world.

Free guided tours of the ship are being offered during its stay in Victoria, with advance reservations available through Eventbrite. Tour availability may be limited due to interest in the vessel.

The Victoria stop also marks a significant chapter in the ship’s return to international sailing.

In May 2025, the Cuauhtémoc struck the Brooklyn Bridge while leaving New York City, severely damaging all three of its masts. Two people aboard were killed and 19 others were injured. The ship was later repaired and returned to service.

The United States National Transportation Safety Board continues to list its investigation into the collision as ongoing.

The restored tall ship is expected to remain in Victoria through Tuesday, September 15th before continuing its training voyage toward California.